By Eunice Ogundare-Martins
A fresh wave of Lassa fever has swept through Nigeria, killing 127 people between January and April 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed.
The deadly outbreak has hit 18 states and 93 Local Government Areas, with 674 confirmed cases out of 4,025 suspected infections.
This marks a slight rise in the case fatality rate to 18.8 percent compared to 18.5 percent recorded during the same period in 2024.
The hardest hit states are Ondo with 30 percent of cases, Bauchi with 25 percent, and Edo with 16 percent.
The remaining 28 percent of infections have been traced to 15 other states, underscoring the nationwide spread of the disease.
To contain the outbreak, the NCDC has activated a multi-sectoral Incident Management System to coordinate emergency response efforts across the country.
Health experts are warning Nigerians to avoid self-medication, maintain strict hygiene, and report any symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, or bleeding to the nearest health facility immediately.
Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic illness transmitted through contact with infected rodents or contaminated food, continues to pose a major public health threat in Nigeria.
