Lassa Fever Outbreak: NCDC Confirms 660 Cases and 122 Deaths in Multiple States
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo states as the main areas impacted the Lassa fever outbreak in the country. During a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Jide Idris, the NCDC Director-General, noted that these states accounted for over 70% of the confirmed cases reported in 2025.
Idris highlighted that the three states contributed to 71% of the 660 confirmed Lassa fever cases recorded from January to the end of March 2025, with Ondo responsible for 30%, Bauchi for 25%, and Edo for 16%.
The Director-General stated that the NCDC has ramped up a nationwide, multi-sectoral response activating its incident management system at the national level to coordinate the public health emergency across the affected states. He emphasized, “As cases rise in these epicenter states, our response focuses on early detection, case management, risk communication, and community engagement. The transmission remains active across multiple local councils, with 28 states and 125 councils affected this year.”
Idris reported that there have been 122 deaths so far, leading to a case fatality rate of 18.5%, which is higher than the 17.5% recorded during the same period in 2024. To combat the outbreak, the NCDC has deployed national rapid response teams to areas of high incidence, trained healthcare workers on infection prevention and control measures, and increased community sensitization efforts.
He stressed the critical importance of individuals seeking early medical attention to help reduce fatalities. Idris also mentioned ongoing collaborations with key partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) to enhance surveillance, clinical care, and public awareness. Furthermore, he noted that the agency is supporting research initiatives aimed at improving outbreak preparedness and response.
Source: The Guardian
About The Author
