Thirty-one people have died from Lassa fever within five weeks, according to the latest figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
In its situation report issued on Monday, the agency disclosed that more than 754 suspected cases had been recorded, of which 165 were confirmed. Nine health workers were among those infected.
“Cumulatively, as of epidemiological week five of 2026, 31 deaths have been reported, with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 18.8 per cent. This represents a slight decline compared with the CFR of 19.6 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025,” the report stated.
The NCDC added that nine states had recorded at least one confirmed case across 33 local government areas so far this year.
According to the report, 92 per cent of confirmed cases were concentrated in five states — Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Plateau — while the remaining eight per cent were spread across four other states.
Of the five most affected states, Bauchi accounted for 47 per cent of confirmed cases, followed by Ondo with 18 per cent, Taraba with 14 per cent, Edo with eight per cent and Plateau with five per cent.
The agency noted that the most affected age group was 21–30 years, with cases ranging from one to 74 years and a median age of 28. The male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stood at 1:0.8.
Encouragingly, the NCDC said the number of suspected and confirmed cases recorded so far in 2026 was lower than figures reported during the same period last year.
It also revealed that 135 patients were currently receiving care at treatment centres, while at least 110 suspected cases were undergoing contact tracing and follow-up.
Highlighting its response efforts, the agency said it had carried out a high-level field mission to Bauchi State, activated the Incident Management System at the National Lassa Fever Emergency Operations Centre, strengthened laboratory testing to ensure prompt diagnosis and treatment, and advocated for a dedicated budget line to support prevention and control activities.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which belongs to the arenavirus family. It is a zoonotic disease transmitted primarily by the common African, or Mastomys, rat and is endemic in Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
Humans typically become infected through contact with food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected rats.