The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a growing outbreak of Lassa fever, which has claimed 168 lives across 21 states and 106 local government areas so far in 2025.
According to the NCDC’s situation report for epidemiological week 38, Nigeria has recorded 4,543 suspected cases, out of which 906 were confirmed positive, representing a case fatality rate of 18.7 per cent — nearly double the national target of below 10 per cent.
The agency identified Ondo, Edo, Taraba, and Bauchi States as the epicentres of the outbreak, accounting for 67 per cent of all confirmed cases. Ondo State recorded the highest number of infections, followed by Edo and Bauchi.
Other affected states include Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, Gombe, Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Enugu, Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Borno, Oyo, Ogun, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Lagos.
The report shows that most confirmed cases were among people aged 21 to 40 years, a group the NCDC described as the most socially and economically active — and therefore more exposed to environments that attract rodents, the main carriers of the disease.
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