Lassa fever has claimed 118 lives in Nigeria between January and March 2025. According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the virus, transmitted by rodents, was first identified in Borno State in 1969 and continues to spread, particularly in rural areas where poor sanitation and food handling remain major challenges.
Despite public health campaigns, environmental hygiene in rural communities has not significantly improved, allowing rats to access homes, food, and utensils.
In the first three months of the year, 645 confirmed cases were recorded, with a fatality rate of 18.3%, according to NCDC Director-General Jide Idris.
Nigeria has been recording around 100 Lassa fever deaths every quarter in recent years. Among the latest cases, over 20 health workers were infected across five of the 33 affected states.
Idris highlighted staff shortages in treatment centers and delays in seeking medical care as major obstacles to controlling the outbreak.
Many patients opt for self-medication and ineffective alternative treatments, further complicating efforts to curb the disease.
© WAVN