The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed the death of a 31-year-old physician who died of Lassa fever after returning from the United Kingdom.
In a public health advisory issued on Sunday, the NCDC reported that the total number of confirmed Lassa fever cases has risen to 535 out of 2,728 suspected cases, with 98 deaths recorded across 14 states as of March 2, 2025.
According to the NCDC, the deceased physician had travelled from Nigeria to the United Kingdom on February 19, 2025, and returned on February 27, 2025. He was treated at a private health facility in Ondo State after showing symptoms consistent with Lassa fever. Samples were collected on February 28, 2025, but the patient died in the early hours of March 1, 2025. Laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis on March 4, 2025 through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing.
The agency disclosed that the deceased had visited his fiancée in Edo State, as well as family and friends, before his death.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, primarily transmitted through contact with the urine, faeces, saliva, or blood of infected multimammate rats (African rats). Human-to-human transmission can also occur through contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, especially in healthcare settings with poor infection control practices.
The NCDC stated that Lassa fever cases are reported year-round, with peak transmission periods between October and May. As of Epidemiological Week 9 (February 24 to March 2, 2025), Nigeria has recorded a case fatality rate of 18.3 per cent, with ten local government areas accounting for 68 per cent of confirmed cases. These include Owo, Akure South, Etsako West, Kirfi, Akoko South-West, Bali, Esan North-East, Bauchi, Toro, and Jalingo.
To contain the spread, the Ondo State Ministry of Health has intensified contact tracing and listed all individuals who had contact with the deceased. The NCDC has activated national response structures to monitor identified contacts, while Port Health Services are tracing in-flight contacts to strengthen surveillance at points of entry. Authorities in the UK have also been notified in line with the International Health Regulations (2005).
Lassa fever presents with symptoms similar to malaria, including headache, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, muscle and chest pain, sore throat, and diarrhoea. Severe cases may lead to bleeding from the mouth, nose, eyes, and other body openings.
The NCDC stressed that early detection and treatment significantly improve survival rates and urged the public to report symptoms promptly and maintain proper hygiene to prevent infection.
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