No fewer than 17 persons have died following a fresh outbreak of Lassa fever across eight states in Nigeria, sparking concern among health authorities as the country enters another peak season for the disease.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed the fatalities in its latest epidemiological report covering the first three weeks of 2026.
States affected by the outbreak include Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa, with Bauchi accounting for about 46 percent of the total infections recorded so far.
The public health agency said Nigeria has logged 93 confirmed cases, while the case fatality rate currently stands at 18.1 percent, slightly lower than the 18.2 percent recorded within the same period last year.
Further breakdown showed that nearly 89 percent of all confirmed infections were concentrated in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo, leaving the remaining states with a smaller share of the burden.
The NCDC also disclosed that four healthcare workers were infected during the reporting week, underscoring the risks faced by frontline medical personnel amid the outbreak.
Although outbreaks of Lassa fever are not unusual during the dry season, experts say early hospital visits, improved hygiene and stronger community awareness remain critical to slowing transmission — especially in high-risk states where cases appear to be climbing again.