Lassa Fever: Nigeria Reports 44 New Cases, 6 Deaths in One Week

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed a rise in Lassa fever infections, reporting 44 new cases and six deaths in epidemiological week five of 2026.

The new infections were recorded across seven states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Benue, and Ebonyi. From week one to week five, the country has reported a total of 31 deaths, representing a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.8 percent, slightly lower than the 19.6 percent recorded during the same period last year.

So far, nine states have confirmed at least one case across 33 local government areas, demonstrating the ongoing spread of the disease. The majority of cases remain concentrated in five high-burden states, which account for 92 percent of infections: Bauchi (47%), Ondo (18%), Taraba (14%), Edo (8%), and Plateau (5%). The remaining eight percent of cases were reported in four other states.

The report also highlighted that adults aged 21–30 are the most affected demographic, although cases range from infants to the elderly, spanning ages 1 to 74 years.

Despite the uptick in cases, the NCDC noted a decrease in both suspected and confirmed infections compared to the same period in 2025. One healthcare worker was infected in week five, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by medical personnel.

In response, the NCDC stated that the National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System (IMS) has been activated to improve coordination and reinforce interventions across all levels of government.