The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention says 172 deaths have been recorded from Lassa fever in 21 states. This represents a case fatality rate of 18.6 per cent, higher than the 17 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.

In its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 40 (September 29 to October 5), the agency said 924 confirmed cases and 8,041 suspected cases had been reported from 106 LGAs.

It said Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi accounted for 90 per cent of all confirmed cases, with Ondo alone responsible for 35 per cent.

The centre said that the report indicated that confirmed cases rose from four in Week 39 to 13 in Week 40, all recorded in Ondo.

The NCDC noted that the predominant age group affected was 21 to 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8. It also added that no new healthcare worker infections were reported during the week under review.

It attributed the high fatality rate to the late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour among residents of high-burden communities.

It listed poor environmental sanitation and low awareness as factors driving infections.

To strengthen response efforts, the NCDC said it had deployed 10 national rapid response teams to affected states using a One Health approach.

It added that ongoing activities include training healthcare workers, conducting risk communication campaigns, and distributing response commodities such as Ribavirin, PPEs, and thermometers to treatment centres.

According to it, other interventions include the ongoing INTEGRATE clinical trial in Ondo, capacity-building workshops for clinicians, and environmental health campaigns in high-burden states.

The NCDC urged states to strengthen community engagement on prevention and improve early case detection and referral.

It also called on healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever and initiate timely treatment to reduce deaths.

The Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease endemic in Nigeria, spread mainly through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rats.

It can also spread person-to-person, especially in hospitals without strict infection control. The illness causes fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding, and, in severe cases, organ failure.

Nigeria records the highest global burden, with most cases from Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, and Ebonyi.

It peaks in the dry season, December–April, and has a high fatality rate, especially when patients present late.

(NAN)