Nigeria records rise in Lassa fever cases as deaths hit 162 by August – NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a emergence successful confirmed Lassa fever cases, with 162 deaths recorded crossed 21 states arsenic of epidemiological week 35, spanning August 25–31.

The NCDC, via its authoritative website, reported 10 caller confirmed cases successful week 35 alone, up from 3 successful the erstwhile week.
It said that the caller cases were detected successful Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, and Taraba states.

Cumulatively, the bureau reported that the state has recorded 7,375 suspected cases and 871 confirmed infections successful 2025, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 11.7 percent, higher than the 8.9 percent recorded during the aforesaid play successful 2024.

It stated that Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi states stay the country’s hotspots, accounting for 91 per cent of each confirmed cases.

The NCDC stated that these states contributed arsenic follows: Ondo, 33 per cent; Bauchi, 23 per cent; Edo, 18 per cent; Taraba, 14 per cent; and Ebonyi, 3 per cent.

The bureau noted that astir affected patients are aged betwixt 21 and 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

While it stated that the wide fig of suspected and confirmed cases was little compared to the aforesaid play past year, the NCDC warned of persistent risks.

It noted that precocious presumption of cases, mediocre health-seeking behaviour owed to attraction costs, and mediocre sanitation successful high-burden communities are contributing to the precocious decease toll.

The Nigerian nationalist wellness bureau reported that nary caller infections of healthcare workers were reported successful week 35, though 23 wellness workers person been affected since the opening of the year.

The Centre said it has deployed 10 accelerated effect teams to enactment affected states, enhanced surveillance, and distributed aesculapian countermeasures, including ribavirin, PPEs, and sanitisers.

It besides announced plans to motorboat a five-year strategical program (2025–2029) for Lassa fever control.

The NCDC urged Nigerians, particularly successful hotspot states, to support due hygiene, amended rodent control, and question aboriginal aesculapian attraction to trim the dispersed and interaction of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Lassa fever is simply a viral haemorrhagic illness endemic successful Nigeria, dispersed chiefly done interaction with nutrient oregon household items contaminated by infected rats.

It tin besides dispersed from idiosyncratic to person, particularly successful hospitals without strict corruption power measures.

The unwellness causes fever, weakness, vomiting, bleeding, and successful terrible cases, organ failure.

Nigeria bears the highest planetary burden, with the bulk of cases originating from Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, and Ebonyi states.

It peaks successful the adust season, “December–April” and has a precocious fatality rate, particularly erstwhile patients contiguous late.

Treatment with ribavirin is astir effectual erstwhile initiated early, successful conjunction with supportive care.

Lassa fever remains 1 of Nigeria’s deadliest recurrent outbreaks, driven by rodent exposure, mediocre sanitation, and delayed health-seeking behaviour.

Vanguard News

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