Lassa fever kills 118 in Q1 2025 – NCDC

Lassa fever has claimed 118 lives between January and March this year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said. The NCDC, in a statement Sunday signed by Sani Datti, Head of Corporate Communication, said the country recorded 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever across 91 local government areas in 33 states […]

Lassa fever has claimed 118 lives between January and March this year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.

The NCDC, in a statement Sunday signed by Sani Datti, Head of Corporate Communication, said the country recorded 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever across 91 local government areas in 33 states during the period.

It said, “Out of the above figure, 645 cases were confirmed, and sadly, 118 lives lost resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.3%.”

The agency said 20 healthcare workers have been infected: 8 in Ondo, 4 in Bauchi, 1 in Edo, 2 in Taraba, 1 in Ebonyi, 2 in Gombe, 1 in Benue, and 1 in Ogun State.

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To ensure an effective response, the agency said it deployed Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) to 10 states: Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa for a period of two weeks between January and March 2025.

“As a result of the evolving nature of the outbreak in some areas, deployments in Edo and Taraba were extended by an additional 10 and 7 days respectively,” the agency said.

The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said to respond and strengthen outbreak control, the agency activated the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre (LF-EOC) at Response Level 2.

He appealed to state governments to support the cost of treatment for Lassa fever and similar diseases.

He also emphasised the critical role of the private sector in ensuring the provision of essential medical supplies and in supporting the public on health awareness initiatives.

He added that preventing Lassa fever requires collective action. Whilst the NCDC and state governments are leading the response, every Nigerian has a role to play in reducing the spread of the virus, he said.

The agency stressed the importance of healthcare workers consistently applying Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures and maintaining a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever.

The agency said despite these efforts, several challenges have hindered response efforts.

These include weak community-level surveillance which impedes early detection, and inadequate human and financial resources for treatment, contact tracing, and active case search at both state and community levels.

The statement said furthermore, treatment centres are experiencing manpower shortages, and many patients delay seeking care, often resorting to self-medication and unorthodox practices, which ultimately prove ineffective.

The agency urged individuals suspected of having Lassa fever to seek medical care immediately.

NCDC also enjoined Nigerians to be on top of their environmental hygiene practices and skills that prevent rats from accessing homes, food, and utensils.

“These remain the most effective means of prevention,” the agency added.

Lassa fever is a haemorrhagic viral illness caused by contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.

The virus is carried in multimammate rats (the common soft-furred African rat whose female has two rows of breast). The rat normally lives in the bush and visits nearby homes for food; which they contaminate. Other rodents can also act as carriers of the virus.

Lassa fever was first detected in Nigeria in 1969, and it comes with bleeding and death in severe cases. It has an incubation period of six to 21 days.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and the annual peak of cases is typically observed during the dry season (December–April).

The symptoms are fever, weakness, muscle and chest pains, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough and abdominal pain. In most severe cases, individuals may bleed from the mouth, nose, eyes or other parts of the body.

The Director General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said the virus spreads through: “Direct contact with urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats.

“Contact with objects, household items, and surfaces contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats.

“It is also spread through consuming food or water contaminated with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected rats. Person-to-person transmission can also occur through direct contact with blood, urine, faeces, vomitus, and other body fluids of an infected person.”

Medical experts advise individuals, health workers, families and communities to improve their personal hygiene and also ensure that their houses are free from rats, and properly cover all foods and drinks.