Nigeria has recorded a fresh increase in confirmed Lassa fever infections, with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reporting 31 new cases during epidemiological week 26 of 2026. The latest figure represents a rise from the 22 cases recorded in the previous week, highlighting continued concerns over the spread of the disease across the country.
According to the latest NCDC Lassa fever situation report released on Friday, the new confirmed infections were reported in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Benue states. The report revealed that Nigeria has so far recorded 221 deaths from the disease in 2026, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 24 per cent, a significant increase compared with the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
The public health agency stated that 23 states across the country have reported at least one confirmed case of Lassa fever in 111 Local Government Areas, indicating that the disease continues to spread across different regions. The report noted that Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue states accounted for 85 per cent of all confirmed cases, while the remaining 15 per cent came from other affected locations.
Ondo State recorded the highest number of confirmed infections, contributing 30 per cent of the total cases, followed by Bauchi with 26 per cent and Taraba with 14 per cent. Edo accounted for nine per cent, while Benue also featured among the states with notable cases recorded during the period.
The NCDC report further disclosed that individuals between the ages of 21 and 30 years remained the most affected group, although infections have been recorded among people aged between one and 93 years. It added that the distribution of cases between males and females remained almost equal, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.9.
Health authorities also noted that both suspected and confirmed Lassa fever cases were higher compared with the corresponding period in 2025. The agency revealed that one healthcare worker contracted the disease during week 26, while the National Lassa Fever multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System remains active to coordinate surveillance, treatment, public awareness and response efforts nationwide.
