Lassa Fever Outbreak: Death Toll Hits 168, Cases Surge to 906 in 21 States

Nigeria’s Lassa fever death toll has tragically risen to 168, with a further two fatalities reported, according to the latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The latest epidemiological report released by the NCDC on Friday, October 3, stated that from January 1, 2025 to September 21, 2025, the Case Fatality Rate stands at 18.5%, up from 16.9% recorded during the same period in 2024.

As of epidemiological Week 38, Nigeria has reported a total of 7,792 suspected cases and 906 confirmed cases across 21 states and 106 Local Government Areas.

According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is an acute viral illness caused by the Lassa virus.

It is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, but it probably exists in other West African countries as well.

The global health body noted that the Lassa virus is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.

Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.

According to the NCDC, “In Week 38, the number of new confirmed cases remained the same as in Week 37 of 2025, with 11 reported cases. These were from Ondo, Edo, and Taraba States.

“Cumulatively, as of Week 38, 2025, 168 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.5%, which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (16.9%).

“In total for 2025, 21 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 106 Local Government Areas.

“A significant majority—90%—of confirmed cases were reported from five states: Ondo (33%), Bauchi (23%), Edo (18%), Taraba (13%), and Ebonyi (three%). The remaining ten per cent were spread across 16 other states.

“The predominant age group affected is 21–30 years (range: 1–96 years; median age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.”

The report noted that no new healthcare workers were affected during the reporting week, and the number of suspected and confirmed cases has decreased compared to the same period in 2024.

The NCDC’s multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities at all levels.