Lassa Fever Deaths Rise To 252 As NCDC Records 14 New Cases

Nigeria’s Lassa fever death toll has risen to 252 in 2026 after health authorities recorded 14 new confirmed cases in epidemiological week 33.

The latest figures put confirmed infections at 1,035, up from 1,021 in the previous week. The new cases were recorded between August 10 and 16 in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states.

The update is a further rise from the 229 deaths earlier reported by NaijaTrend here. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention put the current case fatality rate at 24.4 per cent, higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded around the same period in 2025.

Vanguard and Daily Trust both reported that 23 states and 117 local government areas have recorded at least one confirmed case this year. Five states, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue, account for 87 per cent of confirmed cases.

Ondo alone accounts for 33 per cent of confirmed infections, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent, Taraba with 13 per cent, Edo with 10 per cent and Benue with six per cent.

The affected age range runs from one to 93 years, with the 21 to 30 age group most affected. The NCDC also reported 54 health workers infected across several states this year.

Health authorities say surveillance, case management and infection-prevention work are continuing, but delayed treatment and the spread of cases across many councils remain serious concerns.

Sources: Vanguard, Daily Trust