The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) has raised concern over the high fatality rate of Lassa fever in Nigeria, revealing that one in every four confirmed cases has resulted in death this year despite the availability of effective treatment.
Dr. Banji Ipadeola, Team Lead, Epidemiology Surveillance at the U.S. CDC’s Global Health Centre, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
According to him, delayed diagnosis and treatment remain major factors contributing to deaths, as many Nigerians often mistake the disease’s symptoms for malaria or typhoid and resort to self-medication.
Ipadeola urged people experiencing symptoms such as fever, headache and body pains to seek prompt medical attention, stressing that early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve survival chances.
He explained that Lassa fever is mainly transmitted through contact with food, surfaces or household items contaminated by infected rodents, as well as through exposure to bodily fluids of infected persons.
The epidemiologist advised households to maintain proper sanitation, store food in sealed containers and eliminate rodent infestations to reduce transmission.
Latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) show that as of Epidemiological Week 23, Nigeria recorded 855 confirmed cases and 214 deaths, representing a 25 per cent case fatality rate, higher than the 18.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
The NCDC reported that 23 states have recorded confirmed cases in 2026, with Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo accounting for 84 per cent of infections. It added that prevention, early diagnosis and prompt treatment remain critical in reducing deaths from the disease.
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