Lassa Fever: Nigeria Records 258 Deaths as Fatality Rate Rises to 24%
Nigeria has recorded 258 deaths from Lassa fever in 2026, with the case fatality rate rising to 24 per cent, according to the latest report by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The NCDC’s Lassa Fever Situation Report for epidemiological week 35, covering August 24 to 30, showed that 18 new confirmed cases were recorded in Ondo, Edo and Bauchi states during the week.
The latest figures bring the total number of confirmed Lassa fever cases in Nigeria this year to 1,074, while 7,785 suspected cases have been reported across the country.
The agency said the cumulative case fatality rate of 24 per cent was higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025, when 162 deaths were reported.
The number of new confirmed cases, however, declined from 21 recorded in week 34 to 18 in week 35.
The NCDC reported that 86 per cent of all confirmed cases this year came from five states — Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue.
Ondo accounted for 34 per cent of the confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 24 per cent, Taraba 12 per cent, Edo 10 per cent and Benue six per cent.
The report showed that people aged 21 to 30 years constituted the predominant affected age group, with confirmed cases ranging from one to 93 years and a median age of 30. The male-to-female ratio was 1:0.9.
The agency said no new healthcare worker infection was recorded during week 35, although 54 healthcare workers have been affected cumulatively in 2026.
It added that 13 patients were being managed at treatment centres during the week, bringing the cumulative number of patients managed at treatment centres to 816.
The NCDC attributed the high fatality rate to factors including late presentation of patients, poor health-seeking behaviour and the high cost of treatment and clinical management.
Other challenges identified by the agency include poor environmental sanitation, inadequate awareness in high-burden communities and infections among healthcare workers.
In response, the NCDC said it had strengthened surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, contact tracing and community engagement in affected states.
The agency disclosed that National Rapid Response Teams had been deployed to seven high-burden states, while personal protective equipment and other infection prevention commodities had been distributed to health facilities.
It also developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan for Lassa fever, with support from the World Health Organisation and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aimed at reducing infections among frontline health workers.
The NCDC urged states to sustain community engagement, improve environmental sanitation and public awareness, and strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond promptly to Lassa fever cases.
It further advised healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for the disease, ensure timely referral and treatment, and strictly adhere to standard infection prevention and control procedures.