Lassa Fever Death Toll Hits 221 as NCDC Records Fresh Rise in Infections

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised fresh concern over the continued spread of Lassa fever, revealing that the disease has claimed 221 lives this year as confirmed infections continue to rise across the country.

The agency's latest epidemiological reports for Weeks 24, 25 and 26 show a steady increase in new infections over the three-week period, signalling renewed transmission in several parts of the country. According to the reports, confirmed cases rose from 13 in Week 24 to 22 in Week 25 before increasing further to 31 cases in Week 26.

By the end of Week 26, covering June 22 to June 28, 2026, Nigeria had recorded a cumulative total of 922 confirmed cases and 221 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 24.0 per cent. The figure is significantly higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025, underscoring the severity of this year's outbreak.

The latest 31 confirmed infections were reported in Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Bauchi states, with Ondo and Bauchi remaining among the country's major hotspots. Earlier surveillance reports showed that Week 25 recorded 22 confirmed cases in Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Bauchi, while Week 24 recorded 13 infections across Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Benue and Bauchi states.

Despite intensified surveillance and response efforts, the disease has now spread to 23 states and 111 local government areas, highlighting its continued public health threat. According to the NCDC, 85 per cent of all confirmed infections recorded this year originated from just five states, Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo indicating that transmission remains heavily concentrated in known endemic areas.

The agency also disclosed that young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 remain the most affected age group, a pattern that has remained consistent throughout the current outbreak. Healthcare workers also continue to face occupational risks. One health worker contracted the disease in Week 24, none was infected in Week 25, while another healthcare worker tested positive in Week 26.

The cumulative figures further illustrate the steady progression of the outbreak. By the end of Week 24, the country had recorded 868 confirmed cases and 216 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 24.9 per cent, compared to 18.9 per cent during the same period last year. By Week 25, confirmed cases had increased to 891, while deaths rose to 219. Although the fatality rate declined slightly to 24.6 per cent, it remained considerably higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

Health experts have repeatedly attributed the persistently high fatality rate to delayed case detection, late presentation of patients at health facilities and continued exposure to infected rodents, which remain the primary carriers of the Lassa virus.

The NCDC urged Nigerians to maintain proper environmental hygiene, store food in rodent-proof containers, avoid contact with rat urine and droppings, and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, headache or unexplained bleeding develop. The agency also advised healthcare workers to continue observing strict infection prevention and control measures when managing suspected or confirmed cases to minimise the risk of hospital-acquired infections.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease endemic to Nigeria and several other West African countries. It is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected multimammate rats, although person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings.