Nigeria Faces Rising Lassa Fever and Diphtheria Deaths

Nigeria is facing a significant public health challenge as diseases such as Lassa fever and diphtheria continue to claim lives despite being preventable. As of epidemiological week 34 of 2026, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 7,580 suspected Lassa fever cases, 1,056 confirmed cases, and 253 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 24%, an increase from the 18.7% CFR in the same period of 2025.

Professor of Virology, Oyewale Tomori, stated that Nigeria has not treated Lassa fever with the necessary urgency, warning that without serious action, the disease will continue to devastate communities. He noted that only about 10% of suspected cases are laboratory-confirmed, leaving many diagnoses unknown.

Environmental health expert, Juliet Ojieabu, emphasized the need for Nigeria to shift from reactive responses to sustained prevention, highlighting the importance of improved sanitation, waste management, food storage, and rodent control in endemic areas.