214 Nigerians die of Lassa fever in 2026

Lassa fever has claimed 214 lives in Nigeria, with the Case Fatality Rate climbing to 25.0 per cent,  the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.

This is contained in the NCDC Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 23 (June 1 to June 7).

This, the agency said, is up sharply from 18.9 per cent during the same period in 2025.

It said that both suspected and confirmed cases have also increased compared to 2025.

“New confirmed cases held steady in week 23, matching the count from week 22.

“Infections were reported in Edo, Ondo, Bauchi and Ebonyi. No new healthcare worker infections were reported during the week.

“The outbreak has spread across 23 states and 109 Local Government Areas since January 2026,” it said.

It said five states account for 84 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Doctor dies in Benue

Meanwhile, a resurgence of Lassa fever in Benue State has claimed the life of a medical doctor, Dr Vitalis Tersoo Azever, following complications associated with the viral disease.

Azever, who was a staff member of APIN Public Health Initiatives (formerly AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria) in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in Plateau State, where he had been receiving treatment.

His death threw the medical community in Benue into mourning, coming barely 48 hours after another young doctor, Dr Cedric Tyoor Kondom, also died at the same facility from Bone marrow failure.

State Commissioner of Health and Human Resources, Dr Paul Ogwuche, who confirmed the new case to journalists in Makurdi on Monday, disclosed that the ministry has embarked on case and contact tracing.

Ogwuche explained that the victim succumbed to death after struggling for over two weeks, stressing that the state was on the verge of declaring the outbreak over before the new case was recorded a few days ago.

He said that with the fresh development, emergency response measures have been activated to contain the spread of the viral disease and protect residents, adding that the ministry has heightened its campaign by going back to the communities.

“There is a fresh case of Lassa fever in the state. Only one doctor had died. The victim was buried on Saturday, 20th June, 2026. He worked with APIN Foundation in the Konshisha local government area of the State, but hailed from the Kwande local government area,” the commissioner said.

Ogwuche added that a baseline investigation was conducted on the victim, where it was discovered that his kidney was already affected.

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