The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 1,138 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 268 deaths across 24 states in Nigeria, with the case fatality rate rising to 23.6 per cent.
The figures were contained in the agency’s latest Lassa Fever Situation Report for epidemiological weeks 39 and 40, covering September 21 to October 4, 2026.
According to the report, the current case fatality rate of 23.6 per cent is higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025, highlighting the growing impact of the disease.
The NCDC disclosed that 119 Local Government Areas across the 24 affected states had recorded at least one confirmed case.
Five states — Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue — accounted for 88 per cent of all confirmed infections recorded in 2026.
Ondo State recorded the highest proportion of confirmed cases at 36 per cent, followed by Bauchi with 23 per cent, Taraba with 12 per cent, Edo with 11 per cent and Benue with six per cent. The remaining 12 per cent were recorded across 19 other states.
The report also identified people aged between 21 and 30 as the most affected age group, although infections were recorded among people across a wider range of ages.
Despite the increase in cumulative cases and deaths, Nigeria recorded a decline in new infections during the latest reporting week. Three new confirmed cases were reported in epidemiological week 40, covering September 28 to October 4, compared with 13 cases in the preceding week.
The three new cases were recorded in Bauchi and Benue states. The agency also reported that no new healthcare worker infections were recorded during weeks 39 and 40, although 54 healthcare workers had been affected cumulatively in 2026.
The NCDC attributed the persistently high fatality rate partly to delays in seeking medical attention, the high cost of treatment and inadequate awareness of the disease in affected communities.
To strengthen the response, the agency said it had introduced a 30-day healthcare worker protection plan with support from the World Health Organisation and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Other interventions include training healthcare workers on infection prevention and control, distributing personal protective equipment, deploying rapid response teams and intensifying community awareness campaigns in affected states.
Lassa fever is an acute viral illness transmitted primarily through contact with food and household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rodents. Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings where proper infection prevention measures are not observed.
The NCDC has urged Nigerians to maintain good environmental hygiene, store food in rodent-proof containers and avoid contact with rats. It also advised healthcare workers to remain vigilant and ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment of suspected cases.
The agency stressed that sustained public awareness, early presentation at health facilities and improved infection prevention measures remain essential to reducing Lassa fever infections and deaths in the country.
