Taraba topped the list of fatalities with 31 deaths, followed by Ondo with 26 and Edo with 17. Other affected states include Bauchi (12), Ebonyi (11), Gombe (seven), Plateau (five), Kogi (four), Benue (four), Nasarawa (four), Kaduna (two), and one death each in Enugu, Delta, Cross River, and Ogun.

By Titilope Adako

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 674 cases of Lassa fever out of 4,025 suspected infections between January and April 6, 2025.

This was revealed in the agency’s latest situation report released on Tuesday.

According to the NCDC, the outbreak has spread across 93 local government areas in 18 states, resulting in 127 deaths and a Case Fatality Rate of 18.8 per cent.

Taraba topped the list of fatalities with 31 deaths, followed by Ondo with 26 and Edo with 17. Other affected states include Bauchi (12), Ebonyi (11), Gombe (seven), Plateau (five), Kogi (four), Benue (four), Nasarawa (four), Kaduna (two), and one death each in Enugu, Delta, Cross River, and Ogun.

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease primarily transmitted by rodents, especially the multimammate rat.

“In week 14, new confirmed cases rose to 15 from 14 in the previous week, recorded in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Gombe,” the NCDC report stated.

The agency noted that 71 per cent of confirmed cases came from Ondo (30 per cent), Bauchi (25 per cent), and Edo (16 per cent), with the 21–30 age group being the most affected.

The report also indicated that no new health workers were infected in week 14 and that suspected cases had declined compared to the same period in 2024.

To contain the outbreak, the National Lassa Fever Incident Management System has been activated for coordinated response efforts nationwide.

Join us on our Whatssap Platform @KOIKIMEDIA NEWS YOUR PAGE

KoikiMedia Bringing the World 🌍 Closer to Your Doorstep