Lassa fever death toll in Nigeria rises to 172 as NCDC reports a higher fatality rate of 18.6% with Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo topping confirmed cases

Lassa fever death toll Nigeria has climbed to 172, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), marking an increase in the country’s fatality rate compared to the same period last year.

Also read: Lassa fever in Nigeria declines but deaths remain high

The latest epidemiological report released by the NCDC for Week 40 of 2025 shows that the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) now stands at 18.6 per cent — up from 17.0 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.

The agency confirmed that a total of 924 cases have been reported so far this year, with infections recorded in 21 states and 106 Local Government Areas across the country.

“In Week 40, the number of new confirmed cases increased from four in Week 39 to 13, all reported in Ondo State,” the NCDC stated. “Cumulatively, as at Week 40, 2025, 172 deaths have been reported with a CFR of 18.6 per cent.”

According to the report, Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi States remain the worst hit, accounting for 90 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Ondo leads with 35 per cent, followed by Bauchi (22 per cent), Edo (17 per cent), Taraba (13 per cent), and Ebonyi (3 per cent).

The NCDC further revealed that the predominant age group affected is between 21 and 30 years, with a median age of 30, and a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8 among confirmed cases.

No new healthcare workers were infected during the reporting week, and overall suspected and confirmed cases have declined slightly compared to 2024 figures.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Lassa fever as an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which spreads to humans through exposure to food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.

The disease is endemic in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Mali.

Also read: Lassa Fever outbreak in Nigeria, 739 confirmed cases,141 deaths across 18 states

The NCDC noted that its multi-partner, multi-sectoral Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities nationwide, focusing on surveillance, case management, infection prevention, and community awareness.