NCDC Reports 469 Lassa Fever Cases, 109 Deaths In 2026 As Outbreak Affects Seven States And Healthcare Workers

NCDC Reports 469 Lassa Fever Cases, 109 Deaths in 2026 as Outbreak Affects Seven States and Healthcare Workers The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 469 cases of Lassa fever and 109 deaths in 2026, according to its latest epidemiological report, marking a 23.2 per cent case fatality ratio higher than the same period in 2025. The figures were published in the Week 9 Lassa Fever Epidemiological Report, covering 23 February to 1 March 2026, showing the outbreak continues amid seasonal transmission Confirmed infections have been reported in seven states Benue, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Plateau and Nasarawa highlighting a broad geographic distribution. The outbreak has not spared frontline health personnel. Six healthcare workers were infected during the reporting week, bringing the total number of affected healthcare workers in 2026 to 37. From epidemiological Week 1 to Week 9 of 2026, Nigeria recorded 2,446 suspected Lassa fever cases, of which 469 were laboratory‑confirmed and four classified as probable. The 2026 outbreak continues to show a wide distribution, with 18 states across 69 local government areas reporting at least one confirmed infection so far this year Data show that the predominant age group affected by the disease this year is 21–30 years, and males slightly outnumber females among confirmed cases. Most cases remain concentrated in a small number of high‑burden states; about 86 per cent of confirmed cases have been reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo, with the remaining 14 per cent scattered across other states. In response to the outbreak, the NCDC has distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to treatment centres nationwide. A targeted infection prevention and control ring strategy has also been launched, particularly in Benue State, supported by

Additionally, field support missions and clinical assistance activities have been undertaken with partners including Médecins Sans Frontières and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aiming to strengthen clinical care and outbreak control efforts. Lassa fever, a viral haemorrhagic disease endemic to Nigeria and parts of West Africa, typically peaks during the dry season. The elevated fatality ratio this year compared with 2025 signals ongoing urgency for surveillance, early detection, and strengthened preventive measures.