Recent report from the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the country recorded 4,253 suspected cases of Lassa fever, with 696 confirmed cases and 132 deaths.
The Director General of the Agency, Dr. Jide Idris disclosed this at a press briefing on the current status of National Health Security held in Abuja on Friday.
Dr. Idris informed that since epi week 12, Nigeria had recorded a steady decline in confirmed Lassa fever cases from 41 cases down to 10 in epidemiological week 16 (ending 20th April 2025).
“Encouragingly, both the number of deaths and the case fatality rate (CFR) have also decreased, with only three deaths reported. Cumulatively, as of epidemiological week 16, the country has reported: 4,253 suspected cases
696 confirmed cases,132 deaths, Overall CFR: 19.0 %.
“These improvements reflect the positive impact of ongoing surveillance, treatment, and community engagement efforts. However, the risk remains high, especially in endemic areas. So, we must intensify our efforts”, he said.
Speaking on the Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) outbreak, the Director General said as of Week 14, 2025, recent epidemiological data show a steady decline in new cases and fatalities over the past three weeks, signaling that control measures were beginning to yield impact.
“Surveillance, treatment, and vaccination strategies are being dynamically adapted to emerging data, with a strong focus on community trust and early care seeking.
“So while the outbreak remains serious, national and sub-national coordination, improved preparedness, and vaccination efforts are turning the tide.
“The response will be sustained until full containment is achieved and state-level ownership of the CSM Incident Action Plan is realized”, he said.
He attributed the decline in meningitis cases to joint efforts by NCDC, State ministries, NPHCDA and other partners, “we have seen a steady decline in both cases and deaths over the past three weeks. We will maintain all response activities—coordination, commodities, surveillance, lab support, clinical mentoring, vaccination planning and community engagement—until no new cases emerge and state systems fully own the CSM Incident Action Plan”, the DG stated.
On MPox, the NCDC Boss noted that since the beginning of 2025, Nigeria has continued to monitor and respond to Mpox outbreaks across the country through coordinated national surveillance efforts.
“From Week 1 to Week 16 of 2025, a total of 723 suspected cases of Mpox were reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Of these, 136 cases were laboratory-confirmed, spanning 27 states and the FCT.
“Unfortunately three (3) Mpox-related deaths recorded during this period: two (2) in Week 10 from Abia and Ebonyi states, and one (1) more recently in Rivers State, involving a young male with advanced HIV and tuberculosis (TB). This brings the national case fatality rate (CFR) for 2025 to 2.2%.
“The epidemic curve for the period demonstrates several peaks in both suspected and confirmed Mpox cases, highlighting a pattern of persistent transmission. The geographic distribution map for this period shows that nearly all states have reported suspected cases, with a significant concentration of confirmed cases occurring in the southern and central regions of the country”, he said.
Dr. Idris informed that Mpox was affecting individuals across a wide range of professions including students, traders, civil servants, and healthcare workers highlighting the risk of both community and healthcare-associated (nosocomial) transmission, especially in high-contact settings.
He added that Mpox showed a steady increase in Nigeria since its reemergence in 2017, with sharp spikes from 2022 to 2024, making the country one of the most affected globally.
“These figures suggest potential underreporting or delays in case and contact entry, pointing to a gap between field surveillance activities and timely data entry into electronic systems.
“These figures suggest potential underreporting or delays in case and contact entry, pointing to a gap between field surveillance activities and timely data entry into electronic systems”, he said.
