Ondo State has continued to witness an upsurge in Lassa fever cases, with seven new cases in the latest assessment.
The state now has the highest number of cases nationwide, with 260 cases and a cumulative fatality of 31.
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This was contained in the report of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention(NCDC) for Week 28.
NCDC reports that 11 new cases were confirmed nationally during the week under review, with seven of them from Ondo State.
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The newly recorded cases were detected across Ondo, Edo, and Benue States.
However, Ondo State alone continues to bear the brunt of the outbreak, contributing 32 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases nationwide in 2025.
It is followed by Bauchi (23 per cent), Edo (17 per cent), Taraba (14 per cent), and Ebonyi (3 per cent).
Nigeria has recorded 811 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 152 deaths this year, underscoring a Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.7 per cent — up from 17.3 per cent during the same period last year.
While 21 states across 105 local government areas have reported infections, five states — Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi — account for 89 per cent of all reported cases.
Epidemiological data show that the 21–30 age group remains the most affected, with a male-to-female case ratio 1:0.8.
Despite a recent drop in suspected and confirmed cases compared to last year, experts warn that complacency could worsen the situation.
READ ALSO: Lassa fever claims 152 lives in 2025; NCDC
The NCDC said its multi-partner, multi-sectoral Lassa Fever Technical Working Group (TWG), is actively coordinating response efforts nationwide.
Additionally, while Edo and other Lassa fever-prone states are witnessing a downward trend, particularly due to the wet season, Ondo is rated as having an upward trend in the NCDC chart.
Supervisory health officials have yet to react to the trend, which has remained a source of worry for residents.
Lassa fever is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.
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