Lassa Fever: Nigeria Records 93 Cases, 28 Deaths In 3 Weeks — NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that the country has recorded 93 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and 28 deaths within the first three weeks of 2026.

The NCDC situation report for epidemiological week one (December 29, 2025 – January 4, 2026) showed 21 confirmed cases and 9 deaths, with infections restricted to Bauchi, Ondo, and Edo states.

The case fatality rate (CFR) for the week stood at 42.9 per cent, higher than the 18.5 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

In week two (January 5–11, 2026), the report showed that cases rose sharply to 33, though deaths dropped to two, bringing the CFR to 20.4 per cent. The infection spread to more states, with Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Ogun and Edo reporting cases.

In week three (January 12–18, 2026), the number of confirmed cases climbed further to 39, with 17 deaths recorded. The CFR for the week was 18.1 per cent, slightly lower than the 18.2 per cent recorded in the same week of 2025.

The disease spread to nine states, including Plateau, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa.

Cumulatively, the three-week period recorded 93 total confirmed cases and 28 total deaths.

According to the report, most infections during the period consistently originated from Ondo, Taraba, Bauchi, and Edo, accounting for the majority of cases, and the predominant age group affected remained 21–30 years.

The report revealed that no health workers were affected in Weeks one and two. However, four healthcare workers were infected in Week three.

NCDC said it continues to support affected states with surveillance, contact tracing, risk communication and case management as Nigeria enters its peak Lassa fever season.