Ayodeji Ake      

Nigeria has recorded 237 deaths from Lassa fever in the first 30 epidemiological weeks of 2026, with the disease continuing to spread across 23 states and 116 Local Government Areas, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The latest Lassa Fever Situation Report, covering July 20 to 26, 2026, showed that the country recorded 17 new confirmed cases during epidemiological week 30, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases this year to 1,000.

The report, however, indicated a slight decline in new infections compared with the preceding week, when 20 confirmed cases were reported.

Despite the decline in weekly infections, the fatality rate remains a major concern. The NCDC reported a cumulative Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 23.7 per cent, higher than the 18.8 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

The latest figures represent a significant increase in the burden of the disease compared with last year.

By epidemiological week 30 in 2025, Nigeria had recorded 825 confirmed cases and 155 deaths, with 21 states and 105 Local Government Areas affected.

In 2026, the number of suspected cases has also risen to 6,960, compared with 6,731 recorded during the corresponding period last year. The NCDC said six probable cases had also been recorded.

Five States Account for 86 per cent of Confirmed Cases.

The outbreak remains concentrated in a handful of states, with five states accounting for 86 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases recorded in the country.

According to the NCDC, Ondo State accounts for 32 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent, Taraba with 13 per cent, Edo with 10 per cent and Benue with six per cent.

The latest 17 confirmed cases reported during week 30 were recorded in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states.

The NCDC said the predominant age group affected by the disease was people aged between 21 and 30 years, although cases have been recorded among people aged from one to 93 years.

The median age of confirmed cases was 30 years, while the male-to-female ratio stood at one to zero point nine.

The health agency also reported that one healthcare worker was infected during the latest reporting week, further highlighting the occupational risk faced by frontline medical personnel.

In response to the outbreak, the NCDC said it had continued to work with state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and infection prevention and control.

Among the interventions were case-management training for healthcare workers in Bauchi and Plateau states, training of frontline health workers, community engagement activities and enhanced surveillance for early referral of suspected cases.

The agency also said it had developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan aimed at reducing infections among frontline health workers in Lassa fever-endemic states.

In addition, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) had been prepositioned and distributed to health facilities, while rapid response teams were deployed to seven high-burden states.

The NCDC also activated Incident Management Systems for Lassa fever in Benue, Plateau, Kebbi, Kano and Gombe states and supported active case searches and contact tracing in high-burden areas.

Other interventions include laboratory analysis to facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment, strengthening of hand-hygiene programmes and community-based initiatives aimed at improving public awareness and prevention.

The NCDC identified late presentation of patients as one of the major challenges contributing to the high fatality rate.

Other challenges include poor health-seeking behaviour linked to the cost of treatment and clinical management, inadequate environmental sanitation in high-burden communities, poor public awareness and infections among healthcare workers.

The agency urged states to intensify year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention, while healthcare workers were advised to maintain a high level of suspicion for the disease, ensure timely referral and treatment, and strictly observe infection prevention and control procedures.

The NCDC also called for stronger state capacity to prevent, detect and respond promptly to Lassa fever outbreaks.

The latest figures underscore the continuing public health challenge posed by Lassa fever in Nigeria, particularly in states carrying the greatest disease burden.

 While the number of new confirmed cases fell from 20 in week 29 to 17 in week 30, the increase in cumulative infections and deaths compared with 2025 remains a concern.

The NCDC’s data also reinforce the importance of early detection, prompt treatment, improved sanitation, public awareness and protection of healthcare workers in reducing deaths associated with the disease.

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