The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is tracking 357 people who may have been exposed to Lassa fever after a 31-year-old physician returning from the UK died of the disease on March 1, 2025. The patient, who visited Edo State before being treated at a private hospital in Ondo, tested positive for Lassa fever through PCR testing.
As of March 2, 2025, Nigeria has recorded 535 confirmed infections out of 2,728 suspected cases across 13 states, with over 100 deaths and a case fatality rate of 18.7%. The virus, primarily spread by rodents, is most active between October and May.
The NCDC has activated a national response team to curb the spread, with most confirmed cases reported in Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo States. So far, 17 healthcare workers have been infected
