One in four Lassa fever patients dies as outbreak worsens in Bauchi, Taraba and Katsina

The death rate from Lassa fever has increased alarmingly in several Nigerian states, with health authorities warning that one in four infected people are dying as the disease spreads rapidly in some parts of the country.

Data from the Nigerian Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders indicates that the outbreak has hit hardest in the states of Bauchi, Taraba and Katsina, raising new concerns about the country’s ability to contain the outbreak.

In Bauchi State alone, MSF reported 311 confirmed cases and 68 deaths between October 2025 and 23 March 2026, underscoring the severity of the outbreak.

Medical awareness teams have since been deployed to Bauchi, Kirfi, Toro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas to intensify early detection, isolation and referral of suspected cases.

An MSF official, Abdulkareem Yakubu, said the organization was stepping up training of health workers while combating misinformation, which he identified as a major factor in delays in treatment.

Likewise, Taraba State has recorded significant casualties, with no fewer than 50 deaths confirmed at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo, between November 2025 and March 2026.

A senior doctor at the facility, Abubakar Kirim, described the situation as dire, noting that the hospital is grappling with a severe shortage of doctors due to the increasing workload.

Kirim attributed the growing spread of the disease to poor public awareness and called on all levels of government to step up awareness and preventive interventions.

In Katsina state, health experts have also raised the alarm over the growing mortality rate. An infectious disease consultant at the Federal University Hospital, Katsina, Mohammed Sani Abubakar, has warned that the current epidemic is not only spreading but becoming more deadly.

Abubakar, who also chairs the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, revealed that more than 1,000 suspected and confirmed cases, with about 145 deaths, have been recorded nationwide this year.

He noted a worrying change in the epidemiology of the disease, explaining that while previous outbreaks were concentrated in the North East and parts of the South-South, over 90% of the current cases are now reported in frontline states including Benue, Ondo, Taraba, Edo and Plateau.

“This change may not be unrelated to climate change, insecurity, community displacement, poor sanitation and increased movement of rodents into homes,” he said.

Three confirmed cases have so far been recorded in Katsina, with two deaths reported in Funtua and Kafur local government areas.

MSF, which is currently responding to the outbreak in six states, revealed that Nigeria has recorded 516 confirmed cases and 135 deaths so far in 2026, which is a 31% increase compared to the same period last year.

The organization warned that the disease remains difficult to detect early because its symptoms often mimic common illnesses such as malaria and typhoid, leading to late presentation at treatment centers.

“Lassa fever masks itself. When many patients arrive at our facilities, they are already in critical condition,” said Dr. Ayokunnu Raji, MSF’s emergency program manager.

Health experts say the virus is transmitted primarily through contact with rodent-contaminated food or household items, as well as through exposure to the bodily fluids of infected people. Although many cases are mild, serious infections can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Authorities have urged Nigerians to maintain proper hygiene, store food safely and seek immediate medical attention when they notice symptoms, as efforts to curb the escalating outbreak are intensified.

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