Lassa fever: 237 dead as fatality rate rises to 23.7%

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… 1,000 confirmed cases recorded nationwide

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… Late presentation, high treatment cost fuelling deaths

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… 23 states, 116 LGAs affected

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By Chioma Obinna

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Nigeria’s Lassa fever crisis has worsened, with 237 people dying from the disease out of 1,000 confirmed cases recorded so far in 2026, pushing the Case Fatality Rate, CFR, to 23.7 per cent.

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According to the latest situation report of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, covering epidemiological week 30, shows that the fatality rate is substantially higher than the 18.8 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

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Although the number of new confirmed cases dropped from 20 in week 29 to 17 in week 30, the cumulative death toll increased from 231 to 237, underscoring the continuing severity of the outbreak.

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The 17 new confirmed cases recorded between July 20 and 26 were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states.

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The NCDC said 23 states have now recorded at least one confirmed case across 116 Local Government Areas, indicating a broad geographical spread of the disease.

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Five states including Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue account for 86 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases in the country.

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Ondo alone accounts for 32 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi, 25 per cent; Taraba, 13 per cent; Edo, 10 per cent; and Benue, six per cent.

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The latest figures came as the NCDC identified late presentation, high cost of treatment and poor health-seeking behaviour among major factors contributing to the high number of deaths.

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According to the Centre, other challenges include poor environmental sanitation in high-burden communities, inadequate awareness and continued infection among healthcare workers.

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The NCDC urged Nigerians to seek medical attention promptly when symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever develop, warning that delayed presentation could significantly worsen outcomes.

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It also called on healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for the disease and ensure timely referral and treatment.

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The agency said: “Healthcare workers should maintain high suspicion for Lassa fever and initiate timely referral and treatment, and adhere to standard infection prevention and control procedures.”

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The Centre further urged states to strengthen year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention rather than limiting interventions to periods of outbreaks.

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The report showed that young adults remain the most affected age group, with people aged 21 to 30 years accounting for the largest proportion of confirmed cases.

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However, the age range of confirmed patients spans from one to 93 years, with a median age of 30.

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The male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases is 1:0.9.

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The NCDC said the number of suspected and confirmed cases in 2026 remained higher than those recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

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The continuing transmission of Lassa fever has also exposed healthcare workers to significant occupational risks.

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One new healthcare worker was infected during epidemiological week 30, according to the NCDC.

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The development comes despite intensified efforts to protect frontline health workers in treatment and isolation centres.

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The NCDC and partners have developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan aimed at reducing infections among frontline personnel in endemic states.

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The response includes infection prevention and control training, distribution and pre-positioning of personal protective equipment, PPE, hand hygiene audits and investigations into healthcare worker infections.

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The agency also reported that rapid response teams had been deployed to seven high-burden states to support outbreak containment.

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Other interventions include active case search, contact tracing, laboratory testing, community engagement, risk communication and sensitisation of traditional and religious leaders.

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The NCDC said it had also supported the training of frontline healthcare workers in case management and infection prevention and control in several affected states.

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The concentration of infections in five states remains a major concern.

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Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue together account for 86 per cent of confirmed cases nationwide, with Ondo and Bauchi alone accounting for more than half of the country’s confirmed infections.

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The NCDC said the National Lassa Fever Multisectoral, Multi-partner Technical Working Group continues to coordinate response activities across national and sub-national levels.

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It disclosed that the national Lassa fever Incident Management System had been deactivated to alert mode, while coordination efforts continue through the Technical Working Group.

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The agency said a dynamic risk assessment of the ongoing outbreak had also been conducted with relevant stakeholders.

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Beyond clinical management, the NCDC said community-level prevention remained critical to containing transmission.

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It reported ongoing sensitisation of farmers, market women and other community groups, as well as engagement with traditional and religious leaders in affected states.

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The Centre is also disseminating social and behavioural change materials to state health promotion officers and other risk communication stakeholders.

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Lassa fever is primarily transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated with urine or faeces of infected rodents. Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings where infection prevention and control measures are inadequate.

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The NCDC said states must strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond promptly to Lassa fever.

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