LASSA FEVER DEATH TOLL HITS 214 AS FATALITY RATE RISES TO 25% — NCDC
Read Time:1 Minute, 43 Second
Agency Report
Lassa fever has claimed 214 lives in Nigeria, with the case fatality rate rising to 25 per cent, according to the latest report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The figure was contained in the agency’s Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 23 covering June 1 to June 7, 2026.
The NCDC said the fatality rate marks a significant increase from the 18.9 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025, indicating a worsening impact of the disease despite ongoing response efforts.
According to the report, both suspected and confirmed cases have increased compared to the corresponding period last year.
The agency noted that the number of newly confirmed cases remained unchanged in Week 23 when compared to Week 22, with fresh infections recorded in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi states. It also stated that no new infections among healthcare workers were reported during the period.
Since January 2026, the outbreak has spread across 23 states and 109 local government areas nationwide.
The NCDC disclosed that five states account for 84 per cent of all confirmed cases recorded so far. Ondo State leads with 28 per cent of infections, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent, Taraba with 15 per cent, Edo with 10 per cent and Benue with six per cent. The remaining cases are distributed across 18 other states.
Young adults remain the most affected demographic, with the highest number of cases recorded among individuals aged between 21 and 30 years. The age range of confirmed cases spans from one to 93 years, with a median age of 30.
To strengthen coordination and containment efforts, the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Incident Management System remains activated and continues to support response activities at federal, state and local government levels.
Although no new healthcare worker infections were recorded in the reporting week, the NCDC warned that the rising fatality rate and continued spread across multiple states indicate sustained transmission and the need for intensified surveillance and case management efforts.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0