Deadly Lassa Fever Outbreak Claims 170 Lives in Nigeria
Nigeria's fight against Lassa Fever continues to face challenges, with the NCDC reporting 170 deaths by early April 2026 and a significant case fatality rate of 24.8%. While new confirmed cases saw a slight decrease in Week 14, the disease remains widespread across 22 states, primarily affecting the 21-30 age group.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a significant toll from Lassa Fever, with 170 deaths recorded between January and the first week of April in 2026. The latest NCDC Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 14 (March 30 – April 5, 2026) indicated a total of 22 new confirmed cases during this period, showing a decrease from 26 cases in Epi week 13 of the same year.
The confirmed cases in Week 14 were reported across eight states: Edo, Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Kogi, Plateau, Ebonyi, and Benue. Cumulatively, 22 states have recorded at least one confirmed case of Lassa Fever across 94 Local Government Areas. Notably, 84 percent of these confirmed cases originated from five states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo.
A concerning aspect highlighted by the NCDC is the elevated Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for Week 14, 2026, which stands at 24.8%. This figure is considerably higher than the 18.8% CFR recorded during the same period in 2025, when 127 deaths and 674 cases were confirmed in the first quarter. The predominant age group affected by Lassa Fever continues to be individuals between 21 and 30 years. Encouragingly, the report also stated that no new healthcare workers were affected by the disease as of Week 14.