The Lassa fever death toll in Nigeria has risen to 168, up from 166, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest epidemiological report released by the NCDC on Friday stated that from January 1 to September 21, the Case Fatality Rate now stands at 18.5 per cent, up from 16.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.
As of epidemiological Week 38, Nigeria has reported a total of 7,792 suspected cases and 906 confirmed cases across 21 states and 106 Local Government Areas. According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is an acute viral illness caused by the Lassa virus.
It is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, but it probably exists in other West African countries as well.
The global health body noted that the Lassa virus is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces. Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.
According to the NCDC, “In Week 38, the number of new confirmed cases remained the same as in Week 37 of 2025, with 11 reported cases. These were from Ondo, Edo, and Taraba States.”
“Cumulatively, as of Week 38, 2025, 168 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.5 per cent, which is higher than the CFR for the same period in 2024 (16.9 per cent).”
“In total for 2025, 21 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 106 Local Government Areas.” A significant majority—90 per cent—of confirmed cases were reported from five states: Ondo (33 per cent), Bauchi (23 per cent), Edo (18 per cent), Taraba (13 per cent), and Ebonyi (three per cent). The remaining 10 per cent were spread across 16 other states.
The predominant age group affected is 21–30 years (range: 1–96 years; median age: 30 years). The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.
The report noted that no new healthcare workers were affected during the reporting week, and the number of suspected and confirmed cases has decreased compared to the same period in 2024.