A Lassa fever outbreak in Ondo State has resulted in 12 fatalities, with at least 112 confirmed cases.

The Acting Statistician-General of the state, Olusola Ajayi, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday, revealing that a total of 353 cases had been reported.

Describing the situation as alarming, Ajayi urged workers of the Waste Management Authority to intensify efforts and collaborate with health sector stakeholders to maintain a clean environment.

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He emphasised that proactive measures were necessary to curb the spread of the disease and safeguard public health.

"As of today, Ondo State has recorded 353 cases of Lassa fever, with 112 confirmed cases and 12 deaths. If we are to act, the time is now," he said.

Last week, the Permanent Secretary of the state's Ministry of Health, Adeniran Ikuomola, said nearly 400 suspected cases had been recorded since the outbreak, with over 100 confirmed cases.

Speaking at the inauguration of a new Lassa fever diagnostic centre, Dr Ikuomola noted that the federal government, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) had donated essential medical equipment to enhance detection and treatment efforts.

He reassured the public that the state government was working tirelessly to operationalise the laboratory and strengthen collaborations with relevant agencies to minimise fatalities.

"We have inspected the equipment provided by the Federal Ministry of Health, facilitated by NCDC and IHVN. With these resources, we anticipate significant improvements in case detection and management," he said.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had earlier confirmed 143 Lassa fever cases out of 484 suspected cases recorded between December 30, 2024, and January 12, 2025, across seven states and 32 local government areas.

The agency also reported 22 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 15.4%.