The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that Lassa fever remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, with 963 confirmed cases and 229 deaths recorded across 23 states as of Epidemiological Week 28 in July 2026.
According to the agency’s latest epidemiological report, the disease has spread to 114 Local Government Areas (LGAs), while the case fatality rate remains higher than levels recorded in previous years, prompting renewed concern among health authorities.
The report identified Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue states as the worst-hit, accounting for 86 percent of all confirmed infections nationwide.
Ondo recorded the highest number of cases with 31 percent, followed by Bauchi (25 percent), Taraba (14 percent), Edo (10 percent) and Benue (six percent).
The NCDC said adults aged between 21 and 30 years remain the most affected age group, underscoring the disease’s impact on the country’s economically productive population.
Although weekly case numbers have fluctuated, the agency noted that transmission remains active, with a slight increase in new infections recorded in recent weeks.
The NCDC attributed the continued spread of the disease to late presentation of patients at health facilities, the high cost of treatment and poor environmental sanitation in endemic communities.
To curb the outbreak, the agency said it has deployed rapid response teams to affected states, strengthened disease surveillance, intensified public awareness campaigns and expanded community engagement to encourage early detection and treatment.
The agency urged Nigerians to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, vomiting or unexplained bleeding, stressing that early diagnosis and prompt treatment significantly improve survival.
Residents, particularly those in high-risk communities, were also advised to maintain clean surroundings, store food in rodent-proof containers and eliminate conditions that attract rats, the primary carriers of the Lassa virus.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to working with state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, improve case management and reduce the impact of the disease nationwide.
Health experts have consistently identified improved environmental sanitation, increased public awareness and timely access to healthcare as the most effective measures for preventing infections and reducing deaths.
Lassa fever was first identified in 1969 after an outbreak linked to Lassa town in present-day Borno State, although the virus is believed to have been circulating earlier.
The disease is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and is primarily transmitted through contact with food, household items or surfaces contaminated by the urine or droppings of infected multimammate rats.
Human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with the blood, urine, saliva, vomit or other body fluids of an infected person, particularly in healthcare settings where infection prevention and control measures are inadequate.
Endemic across several West African countries, Lassa fever often begins with symptoms similar to malaria or typhoid fever, making early diagnosis difficult.
Common symptoms include persistent fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
In severe cases, patients may develop facial swelling, difficulty breathing, bleeding from the nose, mouth or other body openings, shock, hearing loss, organ failure and death.
Medical experts advise Nigerians to reduce the risk of infection by keeping homes and surroundings clean, storing food in tightly sealed, rodent-proof containers, properly disposing of waste, avoiding contact with rodents and their droppings, and maintaining good personal hygiene through regular handwashing.
They also cautioned against self-medication, urging anyone who develops symptoms, particularly after possible exposure, to seek prompt medical attention, as early treatment remains the most effective way to prevent severe illness and death.
