The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 318 cases of Lassa fever and 70 deaths across the country since the beginning of 2024.

NCDC Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this in a press briefing on Friday, stating that a total of one thousand four hundred and sixty-nine suspected cases have been recorded, giving a case fatality rate of 22 per cent.

According to Idris, five states, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Bauchi, and Ebonyi, account for 91 per cent of all confirmed cases. Ten local government areas make up 68 per cent of infections.

To contain the outbreak, Idris stated that the NCDC has deployed the National Rapid Response Team to eight reporting states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Benue, Jigawa, and Plateau.

He noted that the agency is also working with state governments to strengthen surveillance, case management, and community engagement.

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