LagosExplorer reports that Nigeria is grappling with a worsening Lassa fever outbreak, with 145 people confirmed dead and 766 cases recorded across 18 states. The deadly viral disease continues to spread rapidly, with Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Taraba, and Ebonyi states accounting for an overwhelming majority of cases.
Ondo alone is responsible for over 30 percent of the total, reinforcing its position as the epicenter of the health emergency.
Recent data shows the case fatality rate has risen to nearly 19 percent, a troubling increase compared to the same period last year. Although there was a slight dip in new confirmed cases within the past week, health officials warn that mortality remains unacceptably high. Experts attribute this to late presentation of patients, limited access to health facilities, and persistent gaps in sanitation and awareness.
In response to the surge, health authorities have activated emergency response teams in the hardest-hit regions, intensified public health campaigns, and deployed more resources to frontline health workers. Mobile surveillance units and treatment centers are also being scaled up to handle the growing number of cases and reduce transmission in vulnerable communities.
The resurgence of Lassa fever is being driven by environmental factors, including poor waste disposal and increased human exposure to rodents, which are the primary carriers of the virus. With the dry season intensifying across parts of Nigeria, the conditions are ripe for further escalation unless urgent preventive action is taken.
Citizens are being strongly advised to maintain strict hygiene, cover food properly, seal entry points against rats, and seek immediate medical attention at the onset of symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, vomiting, or bleeding. Public health authorities continue to urge calm but warn that the next few weeks will be critical in determining whether the outbreak can be contained or spirals further out of control.