LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- Nigeria’s Lassa fever outbreak has taken a deadlier turn, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reporting 214 deaths so far this year and warning that delayed treatment, poor health-seeking behaviour and rising infections are pushing the fatality rate higher.
In its latest situation report for Epidemiological Week 23, covering June 1 to 7, the NCDC said 13 new confirmed cases and four additional deaths were recorded in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi states.
While the number of fresh infections remained the same as the previous week, the latest update shows that fatalities are still increasing.
As 2026 progresses, the country has confirmed 855 Lassa fever cases out of 5,652 suspected infections spread across 23 states and 109 local government areas, pointing to the continued reach of the outbreak.
The agency reported that the case fatality rate has now climbed to 25 percent, a significant increase from the 18.9 percent recorded during the same period in 2025.
At that point last year, 143 deaths had been reported from 758 confirmed cases.
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According to the NCDC, five states account for the bulk of infections recorded in 2026. Ondo leads with 28 percent of confirmed cases, followed by Bauchi with 25 percent, Taraba with 15 percent, while Edo and Benue also remain among the worst-hit states.
Together, the five states account for 84 percent of all confirmed infections this year.
The report further showed that Lassa fever is affecting mostly young adults between the ages of 21 and 30, although cases have been recorded in patients ranging from one to 93 years old.
Explaining the rising death toll, the NCDC stated that many patients still arrive late for treatment, while poor health-seeking behaviour and the cost of care are making it harder to reduce fatalities.
“The number of suspected and confirmed cases has increased compared to the same period in 2025, while late presentation continues to contribute to the higher fatality rate,” the agency said.
It also pointed to poor environmental sanitation and low public awareness in some high-burden communities as key factors helping the disease to spread.
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Despite the worsening figures, the NCDC maintained that response efforts are still ongoing at both national and state levels.
These include surveillance, case management, community sensitization and training for frontline health workers.
The agency also noted that no healthcare worker was infected during the reporting week.
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease commonly spread through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or droppings of infected rodents.
It can also spread through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces or other body fluids of an infected person.
To reduce the risk of infection, the NCDC urged Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, keep their surroundings clean, avoid contact with rodents and seek urgent medical care if they develop symptoms such as fever, weakness, sore throat or unexplained bleeding.
With infections still being recorded across multiple states and the death rate climbing above last year’s level, the latest figures highlight the urgent need for faster diagnosis, early treatment and stronger public awareness in communities most at risk.
