Lassa Fever Death Toll Hits 214 as Fatality Rate Climbs to 25% — NCDC

Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak has claimed 214 lives so far in 2026, with the case fatality rate rising to 25 per cent, according to the latest situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The public health agency said the fatality rate marks a significant increase from the 18.9 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025, underscoring the continued severity of the disease across affected states.

In its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 23, covering June 1 to June 7, 2026 the NCDC noted that the number of newly confirmed cases remained unchanged from the previous week, with infections recorded in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi states.

The agency also reported that no healthcare worker contracted the disease during the reporting period.

Despite the stable weekly figures, the outbreak has continued to spread geographically, with confirmed infections now recorded in 23 states and 109 Local Government Areas nationwide since the beginning of the year.

According to the report, five states account for the overwhelming majority of confirmed cases.

Ondo State leads with 28 per cent of total infections, followed by Bauchi State with 25 per cent. Taraba accounts for 15 per cent, Edo for 10 per cent, while Benue State contributes six per cent. The remaining 16 per cent of cases are distributed across 18 other states.

The NCDC noted that young adults remain the most affected demographic group, with the highest concentration of infections recorded among persons aged between 21 and 30 years.

Cases have been reported among patients ranging from one year to 93 years old, while the median age of confirmed patients stands at 30 years.

To coordinate response efforts, the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Incident Management System (IMS) remains activated and is supporting intervention activities at federal, state and local government levels.

While no new infections were recorded among healthcare workers during the reporting week, the NCDC warned that the rising fatality rate and the continued expansion of the outbreak into new areas indicate that transmission remains a significant public health concern.

The agency said surveillance, case management, risk communication and response activities are ongoing across all affected states as authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak.