The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that the death toll linked to the Lassa fever outbreak across the Federal Republic of Nigeria has reached 177 within the first ten months of the year 2025.
In its most recent epidemiological update covering Epidemiological Week Forty-Four, the agency stated that the Case Fatality Rate has risen to 18.3 per cent, signaling an increase from the 16.5 per cent recorded during the same period in the year 2024. Okay News reports.
According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is a severe acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which belongs to the arenavirus family. The global health body explained that human infection commonly occurs through exposure to food items or household materials contaminated by urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats, a rodent species widespread in parts of West Africa.
The World Health Organisation also notes that Lassa fever is endemic in countries including Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo and Nigeria. It emphasises that there is a strong possibility that the disease exists in other West African nations that have not yet established widespread testing or surveillance.
As of November Second, marking the end of Week Forty-Four, the total confirmed cases recorded nationwide have now reached 966. Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention further shows that 21 out of the 36 states of Nigeria have documented at least one confirmed case across 102 Local Government Areas.
The agency reported, “In Week Forty-Four, the number of new confirmed cases increased from eleven in Epidemiological Week Forty-Three to twelve. These were reported in Ondo, Edo and Benue States.”
It added, “Cumulatively, as at Week Forty-Four, 2025, 177 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate of 18.3 per cent, which is higher than the Case Fatality Rate for the same period in 2024 (16.5 per cent). In total for 2025, 21 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 102 Local Government Areas.”
Further analysis from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 87 per cent of the total confirmed cases are concentrated in four states, namely Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Taraba, while the remaining 13 per cent are spread across 17 other states. Of the 87 per cent, Ondo State reported 36 per cent, Bauchi State recorded 21 per cent, Edo State had 17 per cent, and Taraba State documented 13 per cent.
The health agency added that the most affected age category is individuals between 21 and 30 years, with the median age at 30 years. It also highlighted a male-to-female ratio of 1 to 0.8 among all confirmed cases.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed that suspected and confirmed cases have slightly declined compared to figures from the same period in 2024. It also noted that no health care worker was infected during the Week Forty-Four reporting cycle.
It further stated that the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate prevention, surveillance and response operations at national and subnational levels.
