The death toll from cerebrospinal meningitis in Nigeria has risen to 156, up from the previous 74, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The latest data, released by the NCDC yesterday, covering week 40 of 2024 to week 12 of 2025, showed that 126 confirmed cases have been recorded out of 1,858 suspected cases across 23 states and 121 local government areas.

The national case fatality rate stands at 8.4%. The 23 affected states include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Ekiti, FCT, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, and Yobe.

The states that recorded deaths are Kebbi (67); Sokoto (33); Katsina (16); Jigawa (six); Yobe (11); Bauchi (six); Gombe (nine); Borno (one); Kano (five); Adamawa (one); and Oyo (one).

The report from NCDC noted that as of March 23, 2025: “A total of 1,826 suspected cases with 151 deaths (CFR 8.3 per cent) have been reported from 23 states in the current season.