The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says six healthcare workers contracted Lassa fever within one week, raising concerns about occupational exposure among frontline health personnel.
The NCDC disclosed this on Monday in its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 9, covering February 23 to March 1.
According to the report, the infections occurred as the country continues to battle the viral haemorrhagic disease across several states.
The agency said that, cumulatively, 37 healthcare workers have been infected with Lassa fever in 2026.
It added that Nigeria recorded 65 confirmed cases during the week under review, a slight decline from the 77 cases reported the previous week.
The confirmed cases were recorded in Benue, Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo, Plateau and Nasarawa states.
The public health agency also said 460 suspected cases were reported during the week, while nine deaths were recorded among confirmed cases, representing a case fatality rate (CFR) of 13.9 per cent.
Cumulatively, the NCDC said Nigeria has recorded 2,446 suspected cases and 469 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 2026, with 109 deaths so far.
It added that the overall case fatality rate stands at 23.2 per cent, higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
According to the report, 18 states and 69 Local Government Areas have recorded at least one confirmed case this year.
The NCDC said 86 per cent of confirmed infections were recorded in five states – Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue and Edo.
The agency attributed the rising fatalities partly to late presentation of cases at health facilities, poor health-seeking behaviour and inadequate awareness in some high-burden communities.
The NCDC said it has activated a multi-partner Incident Management System to coordinate response efforts nationwide.
It added that response activities include active case search, contact tracing, distribution of personal protective equipment to health facilities, and the deployment of rapid response teams to affected states.
The agency urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control measures to reduce hospital-based transmission.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, first identified in 1969 in the town of Lassa.
The disease is endemic in Nigeria and parts of West Africa, with the virus primarily carried by the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), humans become infected through contact with rodent excreta or contaminated food, while human-to-human transmission can occur in healthcare settings without proper infection prevention measures.
The WHO says that while many infections are mild or asymptomatic, about 20 per cent develop severe disease, presenting with fever, headache, vomiting, bleeding and organ dysfunction.
