No fewer than 17 persons have died from Lassa fever across eight states in Nigeria within the first three weeks of 2026, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said.

The NCDC disclosed this on Thursday in its weekly epidemiological report for Week Three, noting that Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states recorded new confirmed cases of the viral disease.

According to the report, a total of 93 confirmed cases were recorded nationwide, with Bauchi State accounting for 46 per cent of the infections.

The agency stated that the country’s Case Fatality Rate (CFR) currently stands at 18.1 per cent, slightly lower than the 18.2 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

It also revealed that four healthcare workers were infected during the reporting week, underscoring the persistent occupational risks associated with the outbreak.

The NCDC added that 89 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba and Edo states, while the remaining 11 per cent came from five other states.

Data from the report showed that the most affected age group was between 21 and 30 years, with a median age of 27.5 years. The male-to-female ratio among confirmed cases stood at 1:0.6.

The public health agency noted that the national Lassa fever multi-partner Incident Management System (IMS) had been activated to coordinate response efforts. These include treatment of confirmed cases, distribution of medical countermeasures such as Ribavirin, and risk communication at the community level.

However, the NCDC identified late presentation at health facilities, poor health-seeking behaviour and environmental sanitation challenges as major obstacles in controlling the outbreak. It urged state governments to intensify community engagement and advised healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for early detection and prompt treatment.