Lassa fever: 237 dead as fatality rate rises to 23.7%
Nigeria is facing a severe Lassa fever outbreak, with 237 deaths and a case fatality rate of 23.7% recorded in 2026. Health authorities cite late medical presentation and high treatment costs as primary drivers of the rising death toll.
Why it matters
The rising fatality rate highlights significant public health challenges and the need for improved healthcare infrastructure and awareness in the region.
Layer 1 … 1,000 confirmed cases recorded nationwide
… Late presentation, high treatment cost fuelling deaths
Nigeria’s Lassa fever crisis has worsened, with 237 people dying from the disease out of 1,000 confirmed cases recorded so far in 2026, pushing the Case Fatality Rate, CFR, to 23.7 per cent.
According to the latest situation report of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, covering epidemiological week 30, shows that the fatality rate is substantially higher than the 18.8 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
Although the number of new confirmed cases dropped from 20 in week 29 to 17 in week 30, the cumulative death toll increased from 231 to 237, underscoring the continuing severity of the outbreak.
The 17 new confirmed cases recorded between July 20 and 26 were reported in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states.
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