Lassa Fever Death Toll Hits 127 in Q1 2025 – NCDC Reports Decline in Cases
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that 127 people have died from Lassa Fever out of 674 confirmed cases recorded in the first quarter of 2025.
In its week 14 epidemiological report, the agency noted a noticeable drop in both infections and deaths compared to the same period in 2024, which saw 151 deaths from 817 confirmed cases.
Despite the decline, the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) slightly rose from 18.5% in 2024 to 18.8% this year.
Lassa Fever cases have been reported in 18 states across 93 local government areas, with Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo states accounting for a combined 71% of all confirmed infections. Ondo topped the list with 30%, followed by Bauchi (25%) and Edo (16%).
The majority of those affected are young adults between the ages of 21 and 30, with men slightly more affected than women. Encouragingly, no new infections among healthcare workers were recorded in the latest week under review.
Although the report shows progress, the NCDC continues to urge the public to take preventive measures seriously and report symptoms early to curb the spread.
