The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has sounded an alarm over a surge in deaths from Lassa fever in 2025, even as the total number of suspected and confirmed cases remains significantly lower than last year.
In its Week 31report, ending August 3, 2025, NCDC confirmed nine new cases in Ondo, Edo, and Taraba States, up from three last week. The cumulative total for 2025 has now reached 836 confirmed cases and 156 deaths.
This represents a case fatality rate of 18.7 percent, more than the 17.3 percent accounted for in the same period of 2024.
As of August 3, there have been 6,851 suspected cases in 2025 in Nigeria, with 21 states and 105 local government areas affected.
The states with the highest burden are Ondo with 33 percent of cases, Bauchi with 23 percent, Edo with 17 percent, Taraba with 14 percent, and Ebonyi with 3 percent.
Most cases fall within the 21–30 age group, and the male-to-female ratio stands at 1 to 0.8.
The NCDC indicated that late presentation at health facilities, poor health-seeking behaviour linked to treatment costs, and inadequate sanitation in high-burden areas as key drivers of the rising fatality rate.
