The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported that at least 17 people have died from Lassa fever across eight states of the country within the first three weeks of 2026.
This was contained in its weekly epidemiological report for week three, released on Thursday.
NCDC said Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states recorded new confirmed cases.
The agency noted that Bauchi State alone accounted for 46 per cent of the total infections recorded during the period.
A total of 93 confirmed cases were recorded nationwide during the period.
The agency said the case fatality rate currently stands at 18.1 per cent, slightly lower than the 18.2 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
It also noted that four healthcare workers were infected in week three, underscoring continued occupational risks.
According to the report, 89 per cent of confirmed cases were reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo states while the remaining 11 per cent came from five other states.
The most affected age group was 21 to 30 years, with a median age of 27.5 years, and a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.6 among confirmed cases.
Efforts to Curb the Spread
The NCDC said the national Lassa fever multi-partner Incident Management System had been activated to strengthen response efforts.
These efforts include case management, distribution of medical countermeasures such as Ribavirin, and community-level risk communication.
It identified late presentation to health facilities, poor health-seeking behaviour and environmental sanitation challenges as key factors worsening the outbreak.
It urged states to intensify community engagement and healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for early detection and treatment.
The agency also advised Nigerians to practise good hygiene and promptly report suspected cases to health authorities.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, first identified in 1969 in Lassa town, Borno State.
