Nigeria records 268 Lassa fever deaths as fatality rate rises to 23.6%

Nigeria has recorded 268 deaths from Lassa fever in 2026, with the case fatality fee emerging to 23.6 in step with cent, when put next with 18.6 in step with cent right through the similar length in 2025, in keeping with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The deaths had been recorded amongst 1,138 showed circumstances reported between epidemiological weeks one and 40, protecting 28 September to 4 October 2026.

The NCDC’s newest state of affairs file displays that showed circumstances have higher from 924 right through the corresponding length in 2025 to at least one,138 this yr, whilst deaths have risen from 172 to 268.

The figures spotlight the continuing burden of the illness regardless of a pointy decline in newly showed infections in the most recent reporting week.

In week 40, the collection of new showed circumstances fell to a few from 13 within the earlier week. The most recent circumstances had been reported in Bauchi and Benue states.

One loss of life was once recorded some of the 3 showed circumstances right through the week, giving a weekly case fatality fee of 33.3 in step with cent.

The NCDC attributed the consistently excessive fatality fee in part to overdue presentation of circumstances at fitness amenities, along the excessive price of remedy and deficient health-seeking behaviour in affected communities.

5 states account for 88% of circumstances

The NCDC mentioned 24 states had reported no less than one showed Lassa fever case throughout 119 native govt spaces (LGAs) as of week 40.

5 states, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue, accounted for 88 in step with cent of all showed circumstances recorded in 2026.

Ondo accounted for 36 in step with cent of showed circumstances, adopted through Bauchi with 23 in step with cent, Taraba with 12 in step with cent, Edo with 11 in step with cent and Benue with six in step with cent.

The rest 12 in step with cent of circumstances had been reported throughout 19 different states.

Folks elderly 21 to 30 years remained essentially the most affected age team, even if the file confirmed that showed circumstances ranged from one to 93 years.

No new healthcare employee an infection was once recorded right through week 40. Alternatively, the cumulative collection of healthcare staff suffering from the illness in 2026 stood at 54.

Reaction

In line with the outbreak, the NCDC mentioned it had evolved a 30-day healthcare employee coverage plan, with strengthen from the International Well being Organisation (WHO) and america Facilities for Illness Keep watch over and Prevention, to curb infections amongst frontline fitness staff in endemic states.

The company additionally reported coaching healthcare staff in an infection prevention and regulate, distributing non-public protecting apparatus to fitness amenities and strengthening case control in affected states.

It mentioned incident control techniques were activated in Benue, Plateau, Kebbi, Kano and Gombe states, whilst nationwide speedy reaction groups were deployed to seven high-burden states.

The company additionally performed group engagement actions with non secular and standard leaders in Edo and Ondo states and sensitised farmers and marketplace girls in Ondo in collaboration with the Nationwide Orientation Company.

In spite of those actions, the NCDC recognized overdue presentation of circumstances, deficient environmental sanitation, insufficient consciousness and the excessive price of remedy as proceeding demanding situations in communities with excessive case burdens.

The company instructed states to maintain group engagement on Lassa fever prevention all the way through the yr.

It additionally urged healthcare staff to care for a excessive index of suspicion for the illness, make sure that well timed referral and remedy, and cling to plain an infection prevention and regulate procedures.

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Lassa fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic sickness transmitted to people basically via touch with meals or home goods infected through the urine or faeces of inflamed rats.

Human-to-human transmission too can happen, in particular in healthcare settings the place an infection prevention and regulate measures are insufficient.

The NCDC recommends conserving meals in rodent-proof boxes, keeping up just right environmental sanitation and averting touch with rodents.

Individuals who broaden signs in line with Lassa fever, in particular after conceivable publicity, must search advised scientific consideration.