NCDC warns of rising cases of Lassa fever in 18 states

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised concerns over the increasing cases of Lassa fever in 18 states across the country.

The agency attributed continued transmission and rising deaths to operational gaps at the state level and called for immediate action to strengthen response and outbreak control measures.

NCDC Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, expressed these concerns in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Benue accounted for more than 80 percent of confirmed cases recorded during the peak transmission season in 2026.

Idris described the rise in infections among health workers as very worrying, with 28 confirmed cases and three deaths reported so far this season.

He said field investigations showed most transmission occurred in known endemic areas, but weak implementation of established response frameworks had contributed to continued spread and high case fatality rates.

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According to him, the gaps identified include infections in outpatient and maternity patients in general, low compliance with Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) protocols, and inadequate placement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

He added that delays in patient arrival due to financial constraints, inconsistent activation of the State Incident Management System, weak contact tracing, persistent stigma, and poor standards of isolation centers also drive transmission.

Idris stressed that implementation of the outbreak response and delivery of health services largely falls under state governments in Nigeria’s federal structure, and urged them to strengthen accountability and resource allocation.

It called on affected and high-risk countries to immediately activate and closely monitor their Incident Management Systems, ensuring timely coordination and efficient outbreak response at all levels of health service delivery.

The NCDC Chair also urged immediate disbursement of response funds, enforcement of strict Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) compliance in government and private health facilities, and continued availability of PPE and other essential supplies.

The NCDC boss also advocated accelerating financial protection mechanisms to reduce presentation delays and high mortality rates, as well as instituting rodent control and environmental sanitation measures under the One Health approach.

He advised healthcare workers to maintain a high level of suspicion and strictly adhere to IPC guidelines.

He also appealed to the public to keep the environment clean, prevent rodents from entering the house, store food safely, and seek early medical treatment when symptoms appear.

Idris noted that Lassa fever is treatable, with better outcomes if detected early, adding that Nigeria is also responding to other epidemic-prone diseases including Cerebrospinal Meningitis, Diphtheria, Mpox and Cholera.

He reiterated the NCDC’s toll-free emergency line, 6232, to report suspected cases and obtain further information.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

AIR/AMM