Nigeria has confirmed 54 new cases of Lassa fever and 10 deaths in one week, spanning 30 December 2024 to 5 January 2025.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) made this known in the latest situation report published on its website for week one, 2025.
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The infectious disease agency noted that in the reporting week, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 70 in week 52 of 2024 to 54.
It added that the number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2024.
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Cumulatively, the report shows that Nigeria recorded 10 deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.5 per cent which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (11.3 per cent).
Breakdown
According to the report, six states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 20 LGAs in 2025.
They are Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi and Kogi states.
It added that 78 per cent of all the confirmed cases were recorded from three states of Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi.
Of the 78 per cent of confirmed cases, Ondo State accounted for 35 per cent; Edo for 28 per cent, and Bauchi for 15 per cent.
It noted that no health worker was infected in the reporting week, adding that people between the ages of 20 and 31 are predominantly affected by the disease.
In 2024, Nigeria recorded a significant number of Lassa fever cases, with 9,685 suspected cases, 1,187 confirmed cases, and 191 deaths across 28 states and 138 LGAs.
This surge in cases is consistent with the typical peak season for Lassa fever, which usually occurs during the dry season, from December to April.
Challenges
NCDC highlighted some of its challenges in the fight against Lassa fever.
The challenges include the late presentation of cases leading to increased CFR and poor health-seeking behaviour.
The latter may be due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management of Lassa fever.
Others are poor environmental sanitation conditions observed in high-burden communities and poor awareness observed in high-burden communities.
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Lassa Fever
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents or contaminated persons.
Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and, in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.
