By Blessing Bature
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised concerns over a steady increase in Lassa fever infections, reporting 922 confirmed cases and 221 deaths across the country as of Epidemiological Week 26, with the case fatality rate remaining significantly higher than the same period in 2025.
According to the NCDC’s latest Lassa Fever Situation Reports covering Weeks 24, 25 and 26, new confirmed cases rose from 13 in Week 24 to 22 in Week 25 and further increased to 31 in Week 26. The new infections were recorded in Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Bauchi states.
The agency said the cumulative number of confirmed cases increased from 868 with 216 deaths in Week 24 to 891 cases and 219 deaths in Week 25, before reaching 922 confirmed cases and 221 deaths by Week 26. Although the case fatality rate declined slightly from 24.9 per cent in Week 24 to 24.0 per cent in Week 26, it remains considerably higher than the corresponding period in 2025.
The NCDC disclosed that 23 states have reported at least one confirmed Lassa fever case across 111 local government areas, with Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo states accounting for 85 per cent of all confirmed infections nationwide.
It also noted that people between the ages of 21 and 30 years remain the most affected age group during the reporting period.
The reports further showed that one healthcare worker was infected in Week 24, none in Week 25, while another healthcare worker contracted the disease in Week 26.
The NCDC urged Nigerians to maintain good environmental hygiene, store food properly to prevent contamination by rodents, seek prompt medical attention for symptoms such as fever, weakness and unexplained bleeding, and avoid self-medication to reduce the spread and impact of the disease.
