The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that the country is seeing a decline in Lassa fever infections, even as Mpox continues to spread across nearly all states.
Speaking at the national health security briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Director General of NCDC, Jide Idris, said confirmed Lassa fever cases dropped from 41 to 10, between epidemiological week 12 and week 17.
Mr Idris noted that the number of deaths and the case fatality rate has also dropped, with only three deaths recorded during the period.
He said these improvements reflect the positive impact of ongoing surveillance, treatment, and community engagement efforts.
He, however, said the risk remains high, especially in endemic areas.
“So, we must intensify our efforts,” he said.
Cumulatively, the country has reported 4,672 suspected Lassa fever cases, 707 confirmed cases, and 135 deaths so far in 2025, with an overall case fatality rate of 19.0 per cent.
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, typically transmitted to humans through exposure to food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats.
The disease, which is endemic in several parts of Nigeria, can also spread from person to person, particularly in healthcare settings without adequate infection prevention measures.
Mpox
While Lassa fever appears to be on a decline, Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, continues to pose a threat.
The NCDC boss noted that Nigeria has seen a steady rise in Mpox cases since its re-emergence in 2017, with sharp spikes from 2022 to 2024, making the country one of the most affected globally.
Mr Idris said Nigeria recorded 723 suspected Mpox cases across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory between week one to week 16 of this year. Of these, 136 were laboratory-confirmed in 27 states and the FCT.
He noted that three Mpox-related deaths have been recorded so far, two in Week 10 in Abia and Ebonyi states, and one more recently in Rivers State involving a young male with advanced HIV and tuberculosis.
This brings the national case fatality rate to 2.2 per cent for 2025,” he said.
“The epidemic curve shows multiple peaks in suspected and confirmed cases, signalling persistent transmission. We are also seeing a wide geographic spread, with confirmed cases concentrated in southern and central states.”
He noted that data inconsistencies suggest possible underreporting and delays in capturing cases and contacts, which could undermine containment efforts.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.
The disease can spread from animals to humans and between humans through close contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated objects.
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