- 19,213 confirmed cases in 507 LGAs
BY VICTOR BUORO – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says a total of 153 deaths were recorded out of 26,866 suspected cases of measles across the 36 States and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Additionally, the Centre said a total of 19,213 confirmed cases of the infectious disease were recorded as of November 2025 across 507 of the 774 Local Government Areas in the country.
In its measles situation report made available to journalists in Abuja, the Centre stated: “In November 2025, Delta (13), Kwara (six), Bayelsa (six), Jigawa (six), and Akwa Ibom (five) accounted for 50.7 per cent of the 71 suspected cases reported.
“Of the suspected cases reported, 1 (1.41 per cent) was confirmed (1 lab-confirmed; 0 epi-linked; 0 clinically compatible), 7 (9.86 per cent) were discarded, and 63 (88.73 per cent) were pending.
“A total of 47 LGAs across 20 states reported at least one suspected case. Zero deaths were recorded from confirmed cases.”
The report noted that from January to November 2025, Borno (7,968), Zamfara (4,779), Yobe (2,076), Bauchi (1,574), and Kebbi (1,357) accounted for 66.10 per cent of the 26,866 suspected cases reported.
It further said: “Of the suspected cases reported, 19,213 (71.51 per cent) were confirmed (2,791 lab-confirmed, 2,013 epi-linked, and 14,409 clinically compatible), 6,440 (23.78 per cent) were discarded, and 1,213 (3.38 per cent) were pending classification.
“The age group 9–59 months accounted for 9,399 (48.92 per cent) of all confirmed cases. A total of 153 deaths (CFR = 0.8 per cent) were recorded among confirmed cases.
“Up to 14,801 (77.04 per cent) of the 19,213 confirmed cases did not receive any dose of the measles vaccine (‘zero dose’)”.
According to the report, a total of 188 LGAs across 27 states recorded measles outbreaks from January to November 2025.
“In November, only one LGA (Eti-Osa in Lagos State) had an ongoing measles outbreak. No LGA reported a new outbreak in November. Meanwhile, 187 LGAs across 27 states had ended their outbreaks as of the end of November 2025,” it added.
While launching the Measles-Rubella vaccine introduction and integrated campaign on October 6, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu said it is expected to reach approximately 106 million children aged nine months to under 15 years in two phases.
She described the integrated campaign as the largest health initiative in Africa’s history, aimed at immunising millions of children and adolescents against measles, rubella, and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
The campaign also integrates vaccination efforts against polio and the rollout of the HPV vaccine among adolescent girls.
Measles is an acute, highly infectious viral disease that causes fever, red rash, cough, and red eyes.
Transmitted through coughing and sneezing, contact with respiratory secretions or aerosols, or close personal contact, the virus can remain contagious in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours.
The period of greatest infectiousness occurs four days before the onset of rash and four days after it appears.
