NCDC reports 12 new Lassa cases in Week 44 as fatality rate rises

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has released its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 44, covering October 27 to November 2, 2025, indicating a slight rise in confirmed infections and a higher fatality rate compared to the same period last year.

According to the report, confirmed cases increased from 11 in Week 43 to 12 in Week 44, with infections recorded in Ondo, Edo, and Benue states.

Cumulatively, Nigeria has recorded 966 confirmed cases and 177 deaths from Lassa fever as of Week 44. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) stands at 18.3 percent, higher than the 16.5 percent reported during the same period in 2024, signalling ongoing gaps in early detection and treatment in some high-burden communities.

The NCDC noted that 21 states have reported at least one confirmed case across 102 local government areas, underscoring the wide geographical spread of the viral disease.

However, infections remain concentrated in a few states, with Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, and Taraba accounting for 87 percent of all confirmed cases.

The most affected age group continues to be young adults between 21 and 30 years, who make up the largest proportion of reported infections.

The report also indicated that no healthcare worker was infected in Week 44, an encouraging development in a year where frontline workers have remained at high risk.

Despite the slight week-on-week increase, the NCDC said the overall number of suspected and confirmed cases recorded so far in 2025 is lower than the figures reported within the same timeframe in 2024.

The agency reiterated its call for heightened surveillance, early presentation to health facilities, and strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures, especially in communities with a history of high Lassa fever transmission.