Since the beginning of 2026, an outbreak of Lassa fever has been recorded in Nigeria, which has already affected nine states of the country.
According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 165 confirmed cases of the disease have been registered in five weeks, with 31 deaths, reports a correspondent for the online publication Belnovosti.
This information was received from the Anadolu Agency, citing official data.
Of particular concern is the infection of healthcare workers: at least 15 doctors and nurses have contracted the virus, two of whom have died.
NCDC experts attribute this to poor infection control measures in hospitals, low staff awareness, and interruptions in the supply of personal protective equipment.
The most severe situation is in five states, which account for 92% of all cases: Bauchi (47% of the total), Ondo (18%), Taraba (14%), Edo (8%) and Plateau (5%).
In Benue State, 11 cases have been confirmed, with four deaths. In Edo, six of the 29 cases have died, with the outbreak affecting the Etsako West and Esan West districts. In Taraba, 15 people have died, with 49 infected.
Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease endemic to a number of West African countries (Mali, Togo, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone).
The virus was first isolated in 1969 in the Nigerian state of Borno.
Transmission to humans occurs through contact with the feces or urine of infected rats (the main reservoir is the Mastomys natalensis rat), as well as from person to person through biological fluids.
There are 135 patients with a confirmed diagnosis under observation in medical centers, and contacts of at least 110 people suspected of being infected are being traced.
State authorities have activated emergency response centers, and epidemiological investigations and disinfection of outbreak sites are underway.
Health authorities are urging citizens to observe sanitary measures, avoid contact with rodents, store food carefully, and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear (fever, sore throat, weakness, bleeding).
By comparison, Lassa fever claimed 215 lives in Nigeria last year.
The current outbreak is occurring during a seasonal peak in cases, typical of the dry season.
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