Lassa Fever Death Toll Worsens as Fatality Rate Rises, Cases Spread Across 23 States
Nigeria's battle against Lassa fever has intensified, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reporting an increase in the disease's fatality rate and a continued spread of infections across the country.
According to the agency's Week 23 Lassa Fever Situation Report, covering June 1 to June 7, 2026, the case fatality rate has risen to 19.9 percent, higher than the 18.9 percent recorded during the same period in 2025.
The report indicated that the number of newly confirmed cases remained unchanged from the previous week, with fresh infections recorded in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, and Ebonyi states. No new infections among healthcare workers were reported during the period.
Since the beginning of 2026, confirmed cases have been recorded in 23 states and 109 local government areas, reflecting the continued geographical expansion of the outbreak.
The NCDC also noted that both suspected and confirmed cases have increased compared to figures recorded during the corresponding period last year.
Five states currently account for the majority of confirmed infections nationwide. Ondo State has recorded the highest burden with 28 percent of cases, followed by Bauchi with 25 percent, Taraba with 15 percent, Edo with 10 percent, and Benue with six percent. The remaining cases are distributed across 18 other states.
Young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 remain the most affected group. According to the agency, patients' ages range from one to 93 years, with a median age of 30 years.
To strengthen response efforts, the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Incident Management System remains activated, providing support for containment activities at the federal, state, and local government levels.
Despite the absence of new infections among healthcare personnel during the reporting week, the NCDC warned that the increasing fatality rate and the continued spread of the disease underscore ongoing transmission.
The agency said surveillance, case management, and other response measures are being sustained across all affected states as efforts continue to contain the outbreak.
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