No fewer than 118 persons have died of Lassa Fever out of 3,465 suspected cases recorded across 91 Local Government Areas in 33 States between January and March 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.
A statement signed by NCDC’s Head of Corporate Communications, Sani Datti, on Sunday in Abuja, noted that 20 health workers were infected with the disease during the period under review.
He said: “Out of the above figure, 645 cases were confirmed, and sadly, 118 lives were lost, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.3%.
“Unfortunately, 20 healthcare workers have been infected: 8 in Ondo, 4 in Bauchi, 1 in Edo, 2 in Taraba, 1 in Ebonyi, 2 in Gombe, 1 in Benue, and 1 in Ogun states.”
Datti disclosed that the agency was strengthening its response to curb the spread of the disease, protect more lives, and ensure that those infected receive adequate and timely treatment.
“In line with its commitment to an effective response, the agency deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to 10 states—Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa—for a period of two weeks between January and March 2025.
“As a result of the evolving nature of the outbreak in some areas, deployments in Edo and Taraba were extended by an additional 10 and 7 days, respectively.”
The Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, said that in an effort to respond effectively and strengthen outbreak control, the agency has activated the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre (LF-EOC) at Response Level 2.
“This activation allows for improved coordination across all stakeholders—Federal, State, and Local Governments, development partners, and others.
“Moreover, the agency has distributed essential medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPEs) and treatment medications, to affected states. Also, targeted, state-specific advisories have been issued to guide the prevention and control of Lassa fever.”
Despite these efforts, the agency acknowledged several challenges hindering response efforts, including weak community-level surveillance, which impedes early detection, and inadequate human and financial resources for treatment, contact tracing, and active case searches at both state and community levels.
“Furthermore, treatment centers are experiencing manpower shortages, and many patients delay seeking care, often resorting to self-medication and unorthodox practices, which ultimately prove ineffective.
“To ensure the best outcomes, individuals suspected of having Lassa fever are advised to seek medical care immediately,” the statement added.
The NCDC Director-General appealed to State governments to support the cost of treatment for Lassa fever and similar diseases.
He also emphasized the critical role of the private sector in ensuring the provision of essential medical supplies and in supporting public health awareness initiatives.
“Preventing Lassa fever requires collective action. While the NCDC and State governments are leading the response, every Nigerian has a role to play in reducing the spread of the virus.”
The agency reiterated the importance of healthcare workers consistently applying infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and maintaining a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever.
It further urged citizens to prioritize environmental hygiene and adopt preventive measures to keep rats away from homes, food, and utensils, as these remain the most effective means of prevention.
