FG tracks 461 as Lassa fever spreads to 11 states
No fewer than 461 persons are currently being tracked by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control over the possibility of being infected with Lassa fever, data obtained by the disease control agency by Sunday PUNCH has revealed.
The disease has spread to 63 local government areas across 11 states of the federation.
Lassa fever, a disease that spreads during the dry season in Nigeria, is an animal-borne or zoonotic, acute viral illness spread by the common African rat also known as the mastomys rat species.
Since the last outbreak of the disease in 2016, the NCDC noted that there had been an increase in the number of recurring cases.
Data from the NCDC reveals that the deaths recorded in the first six weeks of 2025 are significantly higher than those recorded in the same period in 2024 when 48 deaths were noted.
Eighty deaths have so far been reported in over 1,913 suspected cases recorded by the NCDC.
Eleven health workers have also been affected by the disease this year.
“In total for 2025, 11 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 63 Local Government Areas. Seventy-three of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi) while 27 per cent were reported from eight states with confirmed Lassa fever cases. Of the 73 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 34 per cent, Edo 21 per cent, and Bauchi 18 per cent,” the NCDC stated.
