Abuja, Oct 23 : The death toll from the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, has risen to 172 since the beginning of this year, public health authorities said.

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said on Wednesday in its latest update that 924 confirmed cases out of 8,041 suspected cases were reported between January and October across 106 local government areas in 21 of the country's 36 states, Xinhua news agency reported.

The agency said that the case fatality rate stood at 18.6 per cent, higher than the 17 per cent recorded during the same period in 2024.

It attributed the rise in deaths to "late presentation of cases and poor health-seeking behaviour among residents of high-burden communities".

The worst-hit states are Edo, Ebonyi, and Ondo in the south, and Bauchi and Taraba in the north, accounting for more than 90 per cent of all confirmed cases. Ondo alone represents 35 per cent of the total number of confirmed cases, according to the NCDC.

It said the predominant age group affected was 21 to 30 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8.

The public health agency said poor sanitation, limited awareness in high-burden communities, and delayed treatment continue to exacerbate the outbreak.

Health authorities also appealed to Nigerians to adopt preventive measures such as maintaining clean environments, avoiding contact with rodents, and storing food properly to reduce the risk of infection.

They further advised individuals showing symptoms like persistent fever, sore throat, chest pain, or vomiting to report immediately to the nearest health facility for early diagnosis and treatment.

The NCDC reaffirmed that coordinated efforts with state ministries of health, development partners, and community stakeholders are ongoing to ensure effective response and care for affected persons.

A multi-sectoral incident management system has been activated to coordinate a nationwide response.

Lassa fever, an acute viral hemorrhagic illness, is primarily transmitted through food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or feces.

Human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with the blood, saliva, urine, or excreta of infected individuals.

/IANS