Lassa Fever Outbreak in Nigeria: Rising Cases and Urgent Response Needed

Nigeria is facing a concerning rise in Lassa fever cases, prompting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to call for strengthened response measures at the state level. The outbreak, occurring during the peak transmission season of the dry season (November–April), is impacting multiple states and raising alarm among healthcare workers.

Current Situation: A Growing Threat

As of week 8 of 2026, Nigeria has recorded a significant number of Lassa fever cases and deaths across 18 states and 67 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Five states – Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Benue – account for 84% of confirmed cases. Specifically, Bauchi reports 30% of cases, Ondo 21%, Taraba 19%, Edo 8%, and Benue 6% [Daily Trust].

Cumulatively, 99 deaths have been reported, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 24.5%. This CFR is higher than the rate observed during the same period in 2025, which was 18.8% [Daily Trust].

Healthcare Workers at Risk

A particularly worrying trend is the increase in Lassa fever infections among healthcare workers. As of this season, 28 confirmed infections and 3 deaths have been recorded among this critical workforce [GazetteNG], [ScienceNigeria].

Understanding Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease primarily transmitted through contact with the urine or feces of infected rats [ScienceNigeria]. Human-to-human transmission can also occur through bodily fluids, contaminated objects, or infected medical equipment. Symptoms typically include fever, sore throat, headache, vomiting, and muscle pain, with severe cases potentially leading to bleeding from body openings [ScienceNigeria].

NCDC Response and Challenges

The NCDC has activated its incident management system to coordinate the emergency response, focusing on early detection, effective case management, risk communication, and community engagement [ScienceNigeria]. However, the agency highlights operational gaps at the state level as contributing to the sustained transmission and rising fatalities.

Identified gaps include infections occurring in outpatient and maternity settings, poor adherence to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, inadequate pre-positioning of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), delayed patient presentation due to financial barriers, inconsistent activation of State Incident Management Systems, weak contact tracing, persistent stigma, and poor isolation center standards [GazetteNG].

Geographic Distribution

Ondo, Bauchi, and Edo states have been identified as the primary epicenters of the current Lassa fever outbreak, accounting for over 70% of all cases reported in 2025 [ScienceNigeria]. However, Lassa fever remains active in 28 states and 125 local government areas across the country [ScienceNigeria].

In 2025, a confirmed case was reported in a 31-year-old physician in Ondo State after returning from a trip to the UK [NCDC].

Looking Ahead

The NCDC emphasizes that outbreak response implementation and health service delivery are primarily the responsibility of state governments within Nigeria’s federal structure, urging them to strengthen accountability and resource allocation to effectively combat the spread of Lassa fever. Continued vigilance, rapid response, and strengthened state-level capacity are crucial to mitigating the impact of this ongoing outbreak.