Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria: 4000 suspected cases, 127 dead

Nigeria continues to battle an escalating Lassa fever outbreak, with 4025 suspected and 674 confirmed cases since the start of the outbreak in January. On Tuesday, April 15, public health authorities reported that the number of deaths has risen to 127. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) put the case fatality rate at 18.8%, slightly higher than the 18.5% reported for a previous outbreak in 2024. Young adults are the most affected by the epidemic, with the median age of infection around 30. The disease has spread to 18 of the 36 states of the country, though the worst affected areas are the southern states of Ondo and Edo and the northern state of Bauchi, accounting for over 70% of the confirmed cases.
According to the NCDC, the outbreak is due to poor health-seeking behavior, limited awareness in local communities, and prohibitive treatment costs. To face the emergency, the center has activated a multi-sectoral incident management system to coordinate nationwide response efforts. Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease which spreads through food or household items contaminated with rodent feces or urine. Transmission may also occur via direct contact with rat saliva or excrements.