Bukola Afeni
Nigeria has recorded 855 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 214 deaths between January and June 2026, with the case fatality rate rising to 25 per cent, according to the latest situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The report, covering Epidemiological Week 23 (June 1–7, 2026), showed that 13 new confirmed cases were reported during the week from Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi states, the same number recorded in the previous week.
NCDC noted that the current fatality rate is significantly higher than the 18.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025, raising concerns over the severity of the outbreak and the continued late presentation of patients for treatment.
A total of 23 states and 109 Local Government Areas have reported at least one confirmed case this year, with five states accounting for the overwhelming majority of infections.
“Eighty-four per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from five states Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue,” the agency stated.
According to the report, Ondo State accounts for 28 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent, Taraba 15 per cent, Edo 10 per cent and Benue six per cent.
The disease continues to affect mostly young adults, with the 21–30 age group recording the highest number of infections.
Confirmed cases ranged in age from one to 93 years, with a median age of 30 years. The male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stands at 1:0.9.
The NCDC also reported that no healthcare worker was infected during the reporting week, while nine patients were receiving treatment in designated centres nationwide.
Data from the agency showed that 5,652 suspected cases have been reported so far in 2026, compared to 855 confirmed cases, five probable cases and 46 affected healthcare workers.
To contain the outbreak, the NCDC said the National Lassa Fever multi-partner and multi-sectoral Incident Management System remains activated to coordinate response activities across affected states.
Response measures undertaken during the week included the review of national case management guidelines, infection prevention and control training for healthcare workers, community engagement campaigns, active case searches, contact tracing, deployment of rapid response teams and distribution of personal protective equipment to health facilities.
The agency also conducted a national press briefing on the outbreak and intensified collaboration with partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), UNICEF and other stakeholders.
Despite the interventions, NCDC identified several challenges hampering control efforts, including late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour driven by the high cost of treatment, poor environmental sanitation in high-burden communities, low public awareness and infections among healthcare workers.
The agency urged state governments to sustain year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention, while advising healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, ensure early referral of suspected cases and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.
“NCDC and partners should strengthen state capacity to prevent, detect and respond timely to Lassa fever,” the report recommended.
