NIGERIA is witnessing a renewed surge in Lassa fever infections and fatalities in the opening weeks of 2026, heightening concerns among public health authorities and communities across the country. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the viral disease has shown a steady upward trend between epidemiological weeks 1 and 3, with increases in suspected cases, laboratory confirmations and reported deaths.
In its latest national situation report, the NCDC disclosed that Lassa fever activity intensified across several states, reflecting a pattern consistent with seasonal outbreaks that usually peak during Nigeria’s dry season. The agency warned that the rising figures point to continued transmission in both urban and rural communities, driven by human exposure to infected rodents and delayed access to healthcare.
According to the data, Nigeria recorded 104 suspected Lassa fever cases in Week 1 of 2026. Of these, 21 were confirmed by laboratory testing, while nine patients died from complications linked to the virus. The trend worsened in Week 2, when suspected cases climbed to 144 and confirmed infections increased to 33.
By Week 3, the number of new suspected cases rose further to 157 nationwide. During the same period, 39 new confirmed cases were recorded, alongside six additional deaths. The NCDC said the rise from 33 confirmed cases in Week 2 to 39 in Week 3 underscores intensifying Lassa fever activity in multiple states.
Cumulatively, as of Week 3 of 2026, the country has recorded 17 deaths from Lassa fever, representing a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.1 per cent. Although marginally lower than the 18.2 per cent CFR reported during the same period in 2025, the agency said the figure remains unacceptably high and highlights the severity of the disease.
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Confirmed cases have been reported in Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states. In total, nine states across 28 local government areas have recorded at least one laboratory-confirmed case this year, demonstrating the wide geographic spread of the virus.
However, the burden remains heavily concentrated in a small number of states. The NCDC said 89 percent of all confirmed cases came from four states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo. Bauchi alone accounted for 46 percent of confirmed infections nationwide, followed by Ondo with 20 percent, Taraba with 12 percent and Edo with 11 percent. The remaining 11 percent of cases were shared among five other states.
Health officials say this concentration reflects long-standing endemic hotspots where environmental conditions, housing patterns and rodent exposure increase the risk of transmission. Rural communities with poor sanitation and food storage practices are particularly vulnerable.
The agency also noted that young adults are the most affected. The predominant age group among confirmed cases in 2026 is 21 years to 30 years. Overall, patients’ ages range from one year to 74 years, with a median age of 27.5 years. This pattern, according to experts, may be linked to occupational exposure, household caregiving roles and mobility among young adults.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, which is transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected rats. Person-to-person transmission can also occur, particularly in healthcare settings with inadequate infection control.
The disease is endemic in Nigeria and several West African countries, with outbreaks typically intensifying during the dry season between November and April, when rodents are more likely to enter homes in search of food and water.
In response to the rising numbers, the NCDC urged Nigerians to adopt strict preventive measures. These include improved environmental hygiene, proper food storage, rodent control, early presentation at health facilities when symptoms appear, and adherence to infection prevention and control protocols in hospitals.
“The current trend highlights the importance of sustained vigilance and early detection,” the agency said, stressing that timely treatment significantly reduces the risk of death.
Economic costs
Lassa fever nflicts a measurable economic burden on households, communities, and national finances. A multi-institutional analysis of health and economic impacts estimated that the disease produces about $1.6 billion in societal costs over a decade across West Africa, largely driven by healthcare spending, lost productivity, and income losses when workers fall ill or die prematurely. Over the same period, the value of statistical life lost due to Lassa fever, reflecting the economic worth of lives cut short, could exceed $15 billion without stronger preventive measures like vaccination.
For households, the financial toll is immediate and often devastating. Treatment for Lassa fever involves prolonged hospital stays, diagnostic tests, medications such as ribavirin, and supportive care – costs that are typically paid out of pocket in Nigeria’s largely cash-based health system. Many patients delay seeking care due to high treatment costs and limited access, only presenting at advanced stages when care is more expensive and outcomes are poorer, further compounding individual and family expenditures.
Beyond direct medical costs, the outbreak erodes workforce productivity and income. Lassa fever disproportionately affects adults in their most economically productive years, particularly those aged 21–30, leading to increased absenteeism, reduced output in informal and formal sectors, and income loss for families relying on daily earnings. When heads of households or multiple family members fall ill simultaneously, entire small businesses and farms face interruption, undermining food production and local commerce.
At the national level, repeated Lassa fever seasons divert scarce public funds toward emergency response rather than long-term development. Federal and state governments must allocate money for laboratory capacity, isolation centres, infection prevention supplies, and rapid response teams, often at the expense of other critical services such as education or infrastructure. Chronic underfunding of epidemic preparedness — with many states allocating little to epidemic control in their budgets — magnifies the macroeconomic impact as outbreaks recur year after year.
The private sector also bears hidden costs. Companies face higher healthcare reimbursements, sick-leave liabilities, and disruptions to daily operations when staff fall ill or stay home caring for sick relatives. Small and medium-sized enterprises, which drive much of Nigeria’s employment and economic dynamism, are particularly vulnerable to these shocks, with limited financial buffers to withstand prolonged workforce disruptions, The ICIR noted.
Recurring Lassa fever outbreaks can dampen business confidence and investment. Regions repeatedly hit by outbreaks may be perceived as higher risk for investors and tourists alike, increasing risk premiums and discouraging long-term commitments in agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Over time, this can slow regional economic growth and widen development disparities between high-risk and low-risk areas.
