The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 14 new cases of Lassa fever in its latest epidemiological update, bringing the cumulative number of infections nationwide to 1,035.
According to the agency’s Week 33 situation report released in Abuja on Tuesday, the new cases were recorded between 10 and 16 August in Bauchi, Benue, Ondo and Edo states. The outbreak has so far claimed 252 lives, pushing the case fatality rate to 24.4 per cent — significantly higher than the 18.6 per cent recorded in 2025.
The 14 cases mark a sharp rise from the four confirmed infections reported in epidemiological Week 32, which were limited to Ondo and Edo states. At the end of Week 32, cumulative figures stood at 1,021 cases and 240 deaths, with a fatality rate of 23.5 per cent. The Week 32 numbers themselves represented a decline from the 17 cases recorded in Week 31, underscoring the fluctuating nature of transmission.
As of Week 33, 23 states have reported at least one confirmed case across 117 local government areas. The NCDC said Lassa fever remains a major public health concern in the affected regions and reaffirmed its commitment to sustained surveillance, rapid response and control measures.
