By Vincent Ekpo
Nigeria’s battle against Lassa fever has worsened, with the death toll rising to 191 as confirmed infections continue to spread across the country, prompting fresh concerns from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention over the country’s growing fatality rate.
The latest situation report released by the agency showed that 23 states and 106 Local Government Areas have recorded at least one confirmed case of the viral disease in 2026.
According to the report, five states — Bauchi State, Ondo State, Taraba State, Edo State and Benue State — account for 84 per cent of all confirmed infections nationwide.
Bauchi and Ondo states each contributed 26 per cent of the total confirmed cases, while Taraba accounted for 16 per cent, Edo nine per cent, and Benue seven per cent.
The NCDC noted that young adults between the ages of 21 and 30 remain the most affected demographic, although infections have been recorded among patients aged between one and 90 years. The median age of confirmed cases stands at 30 years.
The agency also reported an almost equal gender distribution, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.9.
In a further indication of the risks facing frontline health personnel, the report confirmed that one healthcare worker was infected during Epidemiological Week 18 despite ongoing infection prevention efforts.
The NCDC warned that delayed presentation of patients at treatment centres continues to fuel avoidable deaths across affected communities.
“We are seeing late presentation of cases in many communities, and this continues to drive preventable deaths,” the agency stated.
“The high fatality rate is a clear signal that people are arriving at treatment centres too late.”
The report revealed that although the number of suspected cases has declined, confirmed infections are still increasing, suggesting both improved case detection and sustained transmission in high-burden areas.
The agency described the current Case Fatality Rate of 24.6 per cent as alarmingly high, blaming it largely on poor health-seeking behaviour and delayed access to medical care.
“Lassa fever is treatable when detected early, but we are still losing too many lives because patients come in late,” the NCDC added.
To contain the outbreak, the agency said it had activated a nationwide multi-partner Incident Management System and intensified emergency response measures across affected states.
The interventions include infection prevention and control training for healthcare workers in Ondo and Ebonyi states, deployment of rapid response teams to hotspot areas, distribution of personal protective equipment to treatment centres, community sensitisation campaigns involving traditional and religious leaders, and expansion of ring infection prevention strategies in Benue and other high-risk locations.
The NCDC said it is collaborating with partners including the World Health Organization, UNICEF, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Médecins Sans Frontières, ALIMA and RTI International to strengthen surveillance and outbreak response efforts.
The agency further urged state governments and communities to sustain year-round prevention measures, especially environmental sanitation and rodent control, which remain major drivers of transmission.
“All stakeholders must sustain community engagement and strengthen infection prevention practices in both health facilities and households,” the report advised.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to reducing fatalities through early diagnosis, improved access to treatment, and enhanced protection for healthcare workers.
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