Lassa fever cases rise as death toll hits 229

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported an increase in confirmed Lassa fever cases in epidemiological week 28 after a decline in week 27.

This is with cumulative confirmed infections rising to 963 and deaths reaching 229 in 2026.

The NCDC, in its Lassa Fever situation report released on Friday, July 24, 2026, said new confirmed cases dropped from 31 in week 26 to 14 in week 27 before increasing to 25 in Week 28.

The agency said this indicated continued transmission across affected states.

It added that the week 28 cases were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Kogi, and Cross River States, while week 27 cases were recorded in Ondo, Edo, Benue, Bauchi, and Kogi States.

The report showed that as of week 28, Nigeria had recorded 963 confirmed cases and 229 deaths, with a case fatality rate of 23.8 per cent, higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

“For week 27, the country recorded 936 confirmed cases and 224 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of 23.9 per cent, also higher than the 18.9 per cent reported during the corresponding period in 2025,” it said.

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The NCDC said 23 states had recorded at least one confirmed Lassa fever case, with the disease spreading across 113 local government areas in week 27 and increasing to 114 in week 28.

The agency noted that the majority of confirmed infections remained concentrated in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo States, accounting for 85 percent of cases in week 27 and 86 per cent in week 28.

The NCDC added that people aged between 21 and 30 years remained the most affected age group, highlighting the continued impact of the disease on young adults.

The NCDC also revealed that no healthcare worker was infected during week 27, but one healthcare worker contracted the disease during week 28.

It urged continued surveillance, early case detection, prompt treatment, strict infection prevention and control measures, and sustained community awareness to reduce transmission and prevent further deaths from Lassa fever.