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Lassa fever

Nigeria Records Zero Deaths from Lassa Fever Amid Declining Cases

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Nigeria has marked a significant milestone in its efforts to manage and control the spread of Lassa fever, recording zero deaths from the disease in the latest week of reporting. This comes as a welcome respite for the country's health authorities, who have been working tirelessly to contain the outbreak. The decline in cases is a testament to the progress made in the ongoing efforts to combat the disease, and health officials are urging the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to prevent infection.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported zero deaths from Lassa fever in the latest update, marking a significant decline in fatalities compared to the same period in 2024.
  • The number of suspected and confirmed cases decreased compared to the same period in 2024, with 124 new suspected cases and six new confirmed cases reported across 18 states and 95 local government areas (LGAs) affected by the outbreak.
  • The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for Lassa fever decreased from 19.1 percent in week 21, 2025, to a lower percentage in 2024 (18.1 percent).
  • The predominant age group affected by the disease is 21-30 years, with a median age of 30 years.
  • The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.8.
  • The National Lassa fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System (IMS) has been activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels.
  • 90% of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from five states (Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi), while 10% were reported from 13 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases.
  • Ondo reported 30% of the total confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi (25%), Edo (16%), Taraba (16%), and Ebonyi (3%).

Statistics:

  • 124 new suspected cases of Lassa fever were reported in week 21, 2025.
  • 6 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever were reported in week 21, 2025.
  • 141 deaths have been reported with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 19.1 percent in week 21, 2025.
  • The number of deaths has decreased compared to the same period in 2024.
  • 90% of confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from five states (Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi).

Sources:

  • NCDC Lassa Fever Update for Epidemic Week 21, May 19-25, 2025, Twitter handle @NCDCgov.
  • NCDC Lassa Fever Update for Epidemic Week 20, May 12-18, 2025, Twitter handle @NCDCgov.

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