The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jide Idris, yesterday, said the country has recorded 832 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and Mpox.
Dr Idris, who said this at the national health security press briefing in Abuja, noted that the country also recorded 135 deaths from the diseases so far in 2025.
He, however, said the agency remains steadfast in its mandate to protect public health by providing timely, transparent, and accurate health information.
He stated that the agency, in collaboration with State Health Authorities and Partners, continues to monitor the diseases through national surveillance platforms while proactively supporting affected states with timely interventions.
Cumulatively, as of epidemiological week 16, the country has reported 4,253 suspected cases of Lassa fever, 696 confirmed cases, and 132 deaths. The overall Case Fatality Rate of 19.0 per cent,” he disclosed.
He highlighted that there is a steady decline in Lassa fever cases in epidemiological week 16, ending April 20, 2025. “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 added.
Speaking on cerebrospinal meningitis, he noted that as of week 14, the data for CSM showed a steady decline in new cases and fatalities over the past three weeks, signaling that control measures are beginning to have an 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.
The NCDC boss revealed 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 one to Week 16 of 2025, a total of 723 suspected cases of Mpox were reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Of these, 136 cases were laboratory-confirmed, spanning 27 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Unfortunately, three Mpox-related deaths were recorded during this period: two in Week 10 from Abia and Ebonyi states, and one recently in Rivers State, involving a young male with advanced HIV and Tuberculosis. This brings the national CFR for 2025 to 2.2 per cent.
“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.
