NCDC Calls for Stronger Community Efforts as Lassa Fever Cases Rise Across Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has called on state governments to intensify community engagement throughout the year to help curb the spread of Lassa fever. In its latest situation report for epidemiological week 31, the agency revealed that nine new cases were confirmed in Ondo, Edo, and Taraba states—an increase from three cases reported the previous week.

According to the NCDC, the total number of confirmed cases in 2025 now stands at 836, spanning 21 states and 105 local government areas. The disease has so far claimed 156 lives this year, with a case fatality rate of 18.7 per cent—higher than the 17.3 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024. The agency also noted that 90 per cent of the infections occurred in five states: Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi.

The report highlighted that individuals aged 21 to 30 years were the most affected, with more male cases than female. Although no new infections among healthcare workers were recorded in the past week, the NCDC identified several persistent challenges, including delayed case presentation, poor health-seeking behaviour linked to high treatment costs, and inadequate sanitation in high-risk areas.

In response to the growing outbreak, the NCDC has deployed rapid response teams and initiated training and fellowship programs. It has also integrated Lassa fever awareness into broader health communication campaigns and distributed key supplies such as ribavirin, personal protective equipment, and thermometers. The agency urged health workers to stay vigilant and advised the public to maintain proper hygiene and avoid contact with rodents, the main carriers of the virus.