Six Healthcare Workers Infected with Lassa Fever in Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported that six healthcare workers were infected with Lassa fever within one week, raising fresh concerns about the exposure of frontline health personnel. This information was disclosed in the Lassa fever situation report for epidemiological week 9, covering February 23 to March 1.

The report indicated that Nigeria continues to battle the viral hemorrhagic disease across several states, with a cumulative total of 37 healthcare workers infected since 2026. During the review week, Nigeria recorded 65 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, a slight decline from the 77 cases reported the previous week.

The states affected include Benue, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Plateau, and Nasarawa. The NCDC reported 460 suspected cases during the week, with nine deaths recorded among confirmed cases, representing a case fatality rate of 13.9%.

Cumulatively, there have been 2,446 suspected cases and 469 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 2026, with 109 deaths, leading to an overall case fatality rate of 23.2%.