The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC),says Lassa fever claimed 118 lives in the first quarter of this year, just as it has intensified its response to fame the spread of the disease in the country.
The Director General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed that between January and March 2025, the agency recorded 3,465 suspected cases of Lassa fever across 91 Local Government Areas in 33 states.
Of these, 645 cases were confirmed, resulting in an 18.3% Case Fatality Rate (CFR).
Twenty healthcare workers have been infected in Ondo (8), Bauchi (4), Edo (1), Taraba (2), Ebonyi (1), Gombe (2), Benue (1), and Ogun (1) states.
The NCDC has activated the Lassa Fever National Emergency Operations Centre (LF-EOC) at Response Level 2 to improve coordination among stakeholders, including federal, state, and local governments, as well as development partners.
Besides, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed to 10 high-burden states: Kogi, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Taraba, Benue, Gombe, and Nasarawa.
The deployments in Edo and Taraba states were extended by an additional 10 and 7 days, respectively, due to worsening conditions.
Dr. Idris emphasized that despite the agency’s efforts, several challenges persist, including weak community-level surveillance, inadequate resources for treatment and contact tracing, and delays in seeking medical care due to self-medication and reliance on unproven traditional remedies.
He noted that treatment centers are facing manpower shortages, further complicating response efforts.
To curb the spread of the disease, he said the NCDC has distributed personal protective equipment (PPEs), treatment medications, and other essential medical supplies to affected states. State-specific advisories have also been issued to guide prevention and control measures.
He urged healthcare workers to maintain strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures while treating suspected cases.
He implored state governments to support the cost of Lassa Fever treatment and encouraged private-sector involvement in providing medical supplies and funding public awareness initiatives.
He emphasized that preventing Lassa fever requires collective action from all Nigerians.
“While the NCDC and state governments are leading the response, every Nigerian has a role to play in reducing the spread of the virus,” he said.
He also reiterated the import of maintaining proper hygiene practices to prevent rat infestations in homes, food storage areas, and utensils, emphasizing that environmental cleanliness remains one of the most effective means of preventing Lassa fever outbreaks.