Title: Lassa Fever Deaths Rise to 109 as NCDC Confirms 469 Cases in 2026 Date Published: 17 March 2026 Description: The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 109 deaths and 469 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in Nigeria so far in 2026, with the case fatality rate rising to 23.2 per cent—significantly higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.According to the agency’s Week 9 Epidemiological Report, covering February 23 to March 1, 65 new confirmed cases were recorded, marking a drop from the 77 infections reported in the previous week.The latest cases were detected across several states, including Benue State, Ondo State, Bauchi State, Taraba State, Edo State, Plateau State and Nasarawa State.The NCDC also disclosed that six healthcare workers were infected within the reporting week, raising the total number of affected health personnel to 37 this year.Cumulatively, from Week 1 to Week 9 of 2026, the country recorded 2,446 suspected cases of Lassa fever, out of which 469 were confirmed, while four cases were classified as probable.The report indicated that 86 per cent of confirmed infections were concentrated in five states—Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo—while the remaining 14 per cent were spread across 13 other states. In total, 18 states spanning 69 local government areas have reported at least one confirmed case this year.Data further showed that individuals aged 21 to 30 years are the most affected demographic, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:0.8 among confirmed cases.In response, the NCDC said it has activated the national Lassa fever Incident Management System to coordinate containment efforts. Measures include intensified case detection, contact tracing, and deployment of rapid response teams to seven high-burden states.The agency added that personal protective equipment has been distributed to treatment centres, while a targeted infection prevention strategy has been launched in Benue State with support from the World Health Organization. Other partners involved in the response include Médecins Sans Frontières and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.However, the NCDC highlighted persistent challenges, including late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour due to treatment costs, inadequate sanitation in affected communities, and rising infections among healthcare workers.It urged state governments to intensify year-round community sensitisation on prevention, while advising healthcare workers to maintain vigilance, ensure early referrals, and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols. Attached Images: 1bc54120d0827fe2004f82c0d796425ca65ae4dbb01fae73b8be5cdf7a391405.jpg Attached Video: None