The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised fresh concerns over the escalating Lassa fever outbreak, urging Nigerians to maintain rodent-free environments and improve personal hygiene to curb the spread.
With the disease already claiming 98 lives in 2025, including that of a medical doctor, the NCDC emphasized the need for preventive measures such as proper waste disposal, sealing food in airtight containers, and blocking rodent entry points.
NCDC Director General, Jide Idris, underscored the severity of the outbreak, revealing that as of epidemiological week 9 (February 24 – March 2, 2025), Nigeria had recorded a case fatality rate of 18.3%.
“During this period, 98 deaths were reported across 14 states, including that of a physician,” Idris stated.
Providing further details, he noted that Nigeria had documented 2,728 suspected cases, with 535 confirmed. The majority of cases—91%—were concentrated in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi states, while 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) accounted for 68% of the total infections.
Addressing the death of the physician, Idris disclosed that the NCDC was notified of the confirmed case in a 31-year-old doctor who had recently returned from the United Kingdom.
“On March 5, 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was alerted by the Ondo State Ministry of Health about a confirmed Lassa fever case involving a 31-year-old physician. He had been receiving treatment at a private health facility in Ondo State after returning from a trip abroad,” Idris explained.
“The patient left Nigeria on February 19, 2025, and returned on February 27. Samples were collected on February 28 on suspicion of Lassa fever, but, unfortunately, he passed away in the early hours of March 1. Laboratory results confirmed the infection on March 4.”
According to Idris, the deceased doctor had visited his fiancée in Edo State and met with family and friends before falling ill.
In response to the outbreak, the Ondo State Ministry of Health has intensified contact tracing and monitoring of all possible contacts, while national health authorities have ramped up response efforts, including surveillance at entry points and coordination with international health agencies.
