At least 75 deaths have been recorded from the ongoing Lassa fever outbreak, while the case fatality rate rose to 23%, up from 19.7% recorded during the same period in 2025, according to the latest situation report released on Tuesday by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC)
The report, which covers epidemiological week 7 (9–15 February), showed that 82 new confirmed cases were recorded during the week, up from 74 cases reported in week 6. The newly confirmed cases were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kano, Ebonyi, the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Kebbi, Kaduna and Benue.
Healthcare workers continue to face exposure risks, as five new workers were infected during week 7 alone.
Cumulatively, as at week 7 of 2026, Nigeria has recorded 1,538 suspected cases and 326 confirmed cases across the country. A total of 14 states have recorded at least one confirmed case this year, affecting 58 local government areas.
However, the NCDC noted that the overall number of suspected and confirmed cases so far in 2026 is lower than the 451 cases reported during the corresponding period last year.
The outbreak remains heavily concentrated in four states-Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo which holds 84% of all confirmed cases, while the remaining 16% were recorded across 12 other states with confirmed infections.
Of the 84% recorded in the four most affected states, Bauchi accounted for 33% of confirmed cases, followed by Ondo with 22%, Taraba with 19% and Edo with 10%.
Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria and typically peaks during the dry season, when increased contact with infected rodents heightens transmission risks. Human-to-human transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings where protective measures are inadequate.
The NCDC said it continues to coordinate response activities in affected states, including case management, contact tracing, surveillance and risk communication, as authorities seek to curb transmission and reduce fatalities in the coming weeks.
