Lassa fever kills 229 as cases rise nationwide
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says 229 people have died from Lassa fever this year as fresh infections continue to emerge across the country.
In its latest Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 28, the agency said 25 new confirmed cases were recorded during the week, up from 14 cases reported in the previous week.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says 229 people have died from Lassa fever this year as fresh infections continue to emerge across the country.
In its latest Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 28, the agency said 25 new confirmed cases were recorded during the week, up from 14 cases reported in the previous week.
The new infections were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Kogi and Cross River states.
According to the report, Nigeria has recorded 963 confirmed cases from 6,554 suspected infections between Epidemiological Weeks 1 and 28. The case fatality rate stands at 23.8 per cent, compared with 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
The NCDC also confirmed that one healthcare worker contracted the disease during the reporting week, highlighting the continued risk faced by frontline medical personnel.
So far this year, 23 states and 114 local government areas have recorded at least one confirmed case of Lassa fever. Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue states account for 86 per cent of all confirmed infections nationwide.
Ondo remains the hardest-hit state, contributing 31 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent, Taraba with 14 per cent, Edo with 10 per cent and Benue with six per cent.
The report showed that people aged between 21 and 30 years are the most affected age group. Confirmed patients range from one to 93 years, with a median age of 30.
The NCDC attributed the high fatality rate to delayed presentation at health facilities, poor health-seeking behaviour, the cost of treatment, inadequate environmental sanitation in affected communities and limited public awareness.
The agency urged healthcare workers to maintain a high level of suspicion for Lassa fever, ensure early diagnosis and promptly refer suspected cases while strictly observing infection prevention and control measures.
It also called on state governments to strengthen public awareness campaigns and community engagement throughout the year, particularly in endemic areas.
According to the NCDC, the national multi-partner Incident Management System remains active, coordinating surveillance, case management, laboratory testing, infection prevention, risk communication and community engagement.
To strengthen the response, the agency said it had trained frontline healthcare workers with support from the World Health Organisation, Africa CDC, Médecins Sans Frontières, FHI 360 and other partners. It also deployed National Rapid Response Teams to seven high-burden states, distributed personal protective equipment to health facilities, reinforced infection prevention programmes and carried out community sensitisation campaigns.
The NCDC added that it had developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan and circulated updated infection prevention and control guidelines nationwide.
The agency advised Nigerians, particularly those in endemic areas, to seek immediate medical attention for persistent fever or symptoms associated with Lassa fever, stressing that early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve survival chances. It also urged state governments and development partners to sustain surveillance and coordinated response efforts to curb further spread of the disease.
