The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed 31 deaths from Lassa fever within the first five weeks of 2026.
In its latest situation report, the agency recorded 754 suspected infections nationwide.
Out of the total, 165 cases were laboratory confirmed across affected states.
The case fatality rate stands at 18.8 per cent, slightly lower than the 19.6 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.
Nine health workers were among those infected, raising concerns about frontline exposure.
Confirmed cases have been reported in nine states spanning 33 local government areas.
Five states account for 92 per cent of the total confirmed infections.
Bauchi leads with 47 percent, followed by Ondo with 18 per cent.
Taraba recorded 14 per cent, while Edo and Plateau posted eight and five percent respectively.
The most affected age bracket is 21 to 30 years, with patients ranging from one to 74 years old.
Health authorities report a male-to-female ratio of 1 to 0.8 among confirmed cases.
Currently, 135 patients are receiving treatment at designated centres nationwide.
At least 110 suspected cases are under contact tracing and close monitoring.
The agency has activated its Incident Management System to strengthen emergency response operations.
A high-level field mission was deployed to Bauchi State to reinforce containment measures.
Laboratory networks have been mobilised to accelerate diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.
Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease endemic in Nigeria and parts of West Africa.
The illness is transmitted primarily through contact with food or items contaminated by infected mastomys rats.
