Lassa fever: Nigeria records 28 new cases, three deaths

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has recorded 28 new confirmed cases and three deaths from Lassa fever.

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The centre stated this on Wednesday in its latest situation report for week 10, spanning 3 to 9 March.
The report noted that the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 29 in week nine to 28 in the reporting week.

It added that eight states were affected in the reporting week.
The states affected are Ondo (Seven), Bauchi (11), Edo (Five), Taraba (One), Kogi (One), Plateau (One), Delta (One) and Anambra (One).

More details

In total for 2025, there have been 563 confirmed Lassa fever cases and 103 deaths, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.3 per cent which is lower than the CFR reported for the same period in 2024 (18.9 per cent).
The report stated that 14 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 78 local government areas (LGAs).

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NCDC stated that 73 per cent of all confirmed cases have been reported from Ondo, Bauchi and Edo, while 27 per cent were reported from 11 other states.

Of all the confirmed cases, Ondo accounted for 31 per cent, Bauchi 25 per cent and Edo 17 per cent.
The centre noted that the predominant age group affected is 21-30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

It added that no healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week.

Response efforts

The NCDC said it has activated a multi-partner, Multi-sectoral Incident Management System to coordinate response activities at all levels.

Other efforts include deploying National Rapid Response Teams to support control and management efforts using a One Health approach, conducting training for healthcare workers, and enhancing surveillance in affected states.

It stated that despite the decline in cases, challenges persist, including late presentation of cases leading to a high CFR, poor health-seeking behaviour due to the high cost of treatment, and poor environmental sanitation conditions in high-burden communities.

The NCDC said it continues to collaborate with international partners to improve case management and enhance surveillance.

READ ALSO: WHO warns of worsening health crises amid funding cuts

About 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 persons.

Symptoms of Lassa fever include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, and chest pain. In severe cases, it can cause unexplained bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.