Nigeria is battling with a severe Lassa fever outbreak, with 109 deaths and 469 confirmed cases reported in the first nine weeks of 2026. The case fatality rate stands at 23.2%, higher than the 18.7% recorded during the same period in 2025. The outbreak is concentrated in five states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo, accounting for 86% of confirmed cases. 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) attributes the rising fatalities to late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behavior, and inadequate awareness in high-burden communities. Six healthcare workers were infected in one week, bringing the total to 37 affected workers this year. 

The NCDC has activated the national Lassa fever Incident Management System to coordinate response efforts, including intensified case searches, contact tracing, and deployment of national rapid response teams to high-burden states.