The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 645 cases of Lassa fever out of 3,465 suspected cases reported between January and March 2025. These cases span 33 states and 91 local government areas, with the highest number of confirmed cases found in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, and Taraba states.
Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus, is primarily transmitted by the multimammate rat, though other rodents can also carry the virus. Despite significant efforts from the NCDC, 118 lives have been lost, resulting in a case fatality rate of 18.3%.
The NCDC has activated the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre at Response Level Two to better coordinate efforts and improve outbreak control. Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, emphasized the importance of a unified response across federal, state, local government, and partner organizations to address the crisis effectively.
In response to the outbreak, the NCDC deployed Rapid Response Teams to affected states, including Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa. In some regions, deployments were extended due to the evolving nature of the outbreak.
The NCDC has also distributed essential medical supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and treatment medications, to affected states. Despite these efforts, challenges such as weak community-level surveillance, manpower shortages at treatment centers, and delays in seeking care have hindered the response.
The Director General has urged state governments to support the cost of treatment for Lassa fever and similar diseases, emphasizing that preventing Lassa fever requires collective action from all Nigerians. He further appealed to the private sector to assist with the provision of medical supplies and health awareness initiatives.
NCDC has also reiterated the need for healthcare workers to adhere to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, and for Nigerians to maintain proper environmental hygiene to prevent rodent infestations in homes and food storage areas.
