Lassa fever kills 237 in 2026
The NCDC has reported 1,000 confirmed Lassa fever cases and 237 deaths nationwide by epidemiological week 30 of 2026, with a case fatality rate of 23.7%.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 1,000 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 237 deaths nationwide by epidemiological week 30 of 2026. According to the NCDC’s Lassa fever situation report released on Monday, the latest update covers epidemiological weeks 29 and 30, spanning July 13 to July 26, 2026, with cases recorded across several states.
The agency said the figures represented a case fatality rate (CFR) of 23.7 per cent, higher than the 18.8 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025. In week 30, new confirmed cases declined to 17 from the 20 cases recorded in week 29, indicating a slight reduction in transmission during the reporting period. The 17 cases reported in week 30 were recorded in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states.
Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo states accounted for 86 per cent of all confirmed cases. The NCDC said people aged 21 to 30 years remained the most affected age group. The report also showed that one healthcare worker was infected with Lassa fever in week 30.
The Lassa fever outbreak is a public health emergency. The case fatality rate of 23.7% is alarmingly high, and the fact that healthcare workers are being infected is a worrying sign. The concentration of cases in five states suggests a need for targeted interventions.
This echoes the 2022 Lassa fever outbreak, which also saw high case fatality rates. The mechanism then was different, but the result was the same: a health system struggling to contain a preventable disease.
The winners: none. The losers: the 237 families who lost loved ones; and the Nigerian health system, which must strengthen its response.
Bottom Line: Lassa fever has killed 237 Nigerians this year. The case fatality rate is rising. The question is whether the government will invest in prevention or wait for the next outbreak.