The NCDC has warned of a fresh rise in Lassa fever cases, with Ondo recording 13 infections in one week.
Officials say poor sanitation and late reporting are worsening the deadly outbreak.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised alarm over a sharp rise in Lassa fever cases across the country, with Ondo State recording 13 new infections in just one week.
In its latest report for Epidemiological Week 40, the NCDC said the new figure is a big jump from the four cases recorded the previous week. All the new cases came from Ondo, one of the states most affected by the deadly disease.
So far in 2025, Nigeria has recorded 924 confirmed cases and 172 deaths across 21 states and 106 local government areas. This means almost one in every five people infected has died, giving a case fatality rate of 18.6 percent, higher than last year’s 17 percent.
The agency said most of the cases came from five states: Ondo (35 percent), Bauchi (22 percent), Edo (17 percent), Taraba (13 percent), and Ebonyi (3 percent). The age group most affected is between 21 and 30 years, with men slightly more affected than women.
To fight the spread, the NCDC said it has sent 10 rapid response teams to the affected states and is working with groups like the World Health Organization (WHO), NAFDAC, and other partners to improve treatment and access to vaccines.
The agency has also supplied medical equipment, drugs, and protective gear to hospitals and launched an online training platform to help health workers learn infection control skills.
However, the NCDC warned that poor sanitation, low public awareness, and late reporting of symptoms are still fueling the spread of the disease. It urged communities to keep their surroundings clean and report suspected cases early.
The centre assured Nigerians that it is working closely with states and partners to stop the spread and protect more lives.
