No fewer than 206 Nigerians died from Lassa fever in 2025, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) has said.
The agency disclosed that 1,119 confirmed cases and 206 deaths were recorded from 9,270 suspected cases across the country during the year.
According to the NCDC, the case fatality rate stood at 18.4 per cent, higher than the 16.4 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.
The data were contained in the Lassa Fever Situation Report for epidemiological week 51, covering December 15 to 21, 2025.
The report showed that 88 per cent of confirmed cases were recorded in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Taraba states, with Ondo accounting for the highest number of infections.
It stated that new confirmed cases declined towards the end of the year, dropping from 28 in week 50 to 21 in week 52.
The agency said 21 states and 105 local government areas recorded at least one confirmed case during the period under review.
The NCDC noted that young adults aged 21 to 30 years were the most affected, while the disease impacted Nigerians between the ages of one and 96, with a median age of 30 years. Males were slightly more affected than females.
It attributed the high death rate to late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour and the high cost of treatment, especially in high-burden communities.
The agency added that 16 patients were being managed in treatment centres during the period, while 77 contacts were under follow-up nationwide.
It said no healthcare worker was infected during the reporting week.
