At least 138 people have died from Lassa fever across Nigeria since the start of 2025, as the country faces another wave of infections driven by persistent hotspots and gaps in public health awareness.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on Thursday confirmed 717 laboratory-verified cases nationwide. The virus, which causes a potentially fatal hemorrhagic illness, has now spread to 18 states — with southern Ondo and northern Bauchi and Taraba recording the highest burden.
These three states account for over 70 percent of all confirmed infections, according to the NCDC, which flagged these zones as “consistent hotspots” despite ongoing national response measures.
“The outbreak remains a major concern,” the agency said, citing a case fatality rate of 19.2 percent — a sharp reminder of the challenges in detection, treatment, and containment.
Young adults aged 21 to 30 make up the bulk of those affected, with the median age standing at 30. The NCDC also reported a slightly higher infection rate among males compared to females.
Efforts to control the virus have been hindered by delayed care-seeking behavior, high treatment costs in certain regions, and low awareness in high-risk communities. In response, authorities have activated a multi-agency incident coordination system to steer containment efforts nationwide.
Lassa fever is typically contracted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the waste of infected rodents. The disease can also spread between humans via direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person.
The latest outbreak follows last year’s death toll of 214, underscoring the need for improved disease surveillance, risk communication, and community-level intervention in vulnerable areas.
Health experts continue to call for greater investment in public health infrastructure and sustained campaigns to reduce rodent-human contact — especially during Nigeria’s dry season, when transmission rates typically surge.