By ABUJAH RACHEAL

The latest Lassa Fever Situation Report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) showed that young adults, particularly from ages 21 to 30 , were the most affected by the deadly viral disease.

The report mad? available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, covering Epidemiological Week 10 (March 3 to March 9) also indicated that men were slightly more affected than women, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

?The median age of infected individuals is 30 years, with cases recorded across a wide age range (1-94 years), ? it said.

The agency warned that this trend might indicate increased exposure among young working adults, especially those in rural and semi-urban areas, where rodent infestation remained a major driver of Lassa fever transmission.

So far in 2025, the NCDC said the country recorded 2,960 suspected cases, out of which 563 had been confirmed, with 103 deaths reported, bringing the case fatality rate (CFR) to 18.3 per cent.

It said the CFR has slightly decreased, compared to the same period in 2024 , which is 18.9 per cent, cautioning that the disease remained a major public health threat.

?The majority of cases ? 73 per cent, have been reported in three states: Ondo 31 per cent, Bauchi 25 per cent and Edo 17 per cent.

?The remaining 27 per cent of cases are spread across 11 other states, highlighting the persistent endemic nature of Lassa fever in Nigeria,? it stated.

Despite efforts to control the outbreak, the agency said that poor health-seeking behaviour, late presentation of cases, and poor environmental sanitation in high-burden areas continued to fuel transmission.

The NCDC stressed the importance of early detection, proper hygiene, and community awareness to curb spread of the virus.

?To tackle the outbreak, the NCDC has Deployed National Rapid Response Teams (NRRT) to Gombe, Nasarawa, and Benue to strengthen surveillance and case management.?

It said it had trained healthcare workers in Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Benue, with plans to extend training to Plateau and Taraba.

It also noted that It partnered with the WHO, MSF Geneva, and other stakeholders to improve case management strategies.

The public health agency said it had continued nationwide sensitisation campaigns on rodent control and personal hygiene.

The NCDC urged Nigerians, especially young adults, to take preventive measures such as storing food in sealed containers, maintaining proper sanitation, and seeking medical care immediately after noticing symptoms.

With the Lassa fever outbreak season still ongoing, it called for increased vigilance, early testing, and better access to treatment centres to reduce fatalities.

NAN reports that Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rats.

It can also spread from person to person through bodily fluids, contaminated objects, or infected medical equipment.

Symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, muscle pain, and in severe cases, bleeding from body openings. (NAN)

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