The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported a sharp rise in Lassa fever deaths for 2026, even as new confirmed cases fell in the latest week. In its Epidemiological Week 13 bulletin released on Thursday in Abuja, the agency recorded 167 fatalities to date, translating to a case‑fatality rate of 25.2 percent, up from 18.5 percent for the same period in 2025. Week 13 saw 26 new confirmed infections, down from 51 the week before, spread across Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Ebonyi, Benue and Kaduna states. Overall, 663 cases have been confirmed out of 3,831 suspected reports across 22 states and 93 local government areas. "The number of suspected and confirmed cases has increased compared to the same period in 2025," the report stated. Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Benue accounted for 85 percent of confirmed cases, with young adults aged 21‑30 most affected (median age 30). The NCDC linked the high mortality to delayed presentation, poor health‑seeking behaviour, costly treatment, inadequate sanitation and low community awareness. No healthcare workers contracted the disease during the reporting week. In response, the centre activated a multi‑partner Incident Management System and, together with WHO, UNICEF and MSF, stepped up surveillance, contact tracing, public awareness and protective measures for health staff in high‑burden areas. State governments were urged to maintain continuous community engagement, and clinicians were asked to keep a high index of suspicion for early detection and treatment.
The most striking element of the latest NCDC bulletin is the jump in the case‑fatality rate to 25.2 percent, a rise of nearly seven points over the same period last year, despite fewer new infections.
This surge reflects deeper systemic flaws: late presentation of patients, costly treatment and limited awareness in endemic zones have persisted even as surveillance and partner support have intensified. The report's own admission that suspected and confirmed cases have risen compared with 2025 underscores that the disease's foothold remains strong, especially in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Benue, which together generate 85 percent of confirmed cases.
For ordinary Nigerians, the heightened mortality translates into greater risk for young adults, the demographic most frequently infected, and for families facing prohibitive treatment expenses. Communities with poor sanitation and low health‑seeking habits are likely to see more deaths unless early‑diagnosis pathways improve.
The pattern mirrors previous seasons where Lassa fever spikes during the dry months, yet the persistent fatality gap suggests that current response mechanisms are insufficient. Without addressing the underlying gaps in early detection and affordable care, future outbreaks may continue to claim lives at an alarming rate.
