Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) yesterday confirmed that the country recorded 70 deaths from Lassa fever in the first seven weeks of 2026, with 318 confirmed cases out of the 1,469 suspected infections reported nationwide. The figures for its Epidemiological Weeks 1–7 (December 29, 2025 – February 15, 2026) showed a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 22 per cent, while 15 healthcare workers have also been infected. At a press briefing, the NCDC’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said the outbreak remained geographically concentrated, with five states accounting for 91 per cent of confirmed cases and 10 local government areas (LGAs) accounting for 68 per cent of infections. “Lassa fever remains endemic in Nigeria and typically peaks during...