Health
Lassa Fever: 53 health workers infected as cases hit 1,000 in 2026
Nigeria has recorded 1,000 confirmed cases of Lassa fever, with 237 deaths in 2026, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).
The figure includes 53 healthcare workers who have been infected with the disease, highlighting the continued risk faced by frontline health workers responding to the outbreak.
The agency released its situation reports for epidemiological weeks 29 and 30 on Monday, covering 13 to 19 July and 20 to 26 July, respectively.
According to the Week 30 report, Nigeria recorded 17 new confirmed cases and six deaths during the week, bringing the cumulative figures to 1,000 confirmed cases and 237 deaths.
More details
According to the NCDC, the case fatality rate increased slightly from 23.5 per cent in Week 29 to 23.7 per cent in Week 30.
The NCDC said 23 states have now reported at least one confirmed case across 116 local government areas (LGAs).
Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue accounted for 86 per cent of all confirmed cases, with Ondo recording the highest proportion at 32 per cent, followed by Bauchi with 25 per cent. Taraba accounted for 13 per cent; Edo, 10 per cent and Benue, six per cent.
Health workers remain at risk
The NCDC reported one new healthcare worker infection in Week 30, bringing the number of healthcare workers infected with Lassa fever in 2026 to 53.
The agency said infections among healthcare workers remain one of the challenges in controlling the outbreak.
It said it had developed a 30-day Healthcare Worker Protection Plan to reduce infections among frontline health workers in high-burden states, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The agency also reported training frontline healthcare workers, strengthening infection prevention and control programmes, pre-positioning personal protective equipment and providing technical support to investigate and mitigate healthcare worker infections.
Challenges
The NCDC identified late presentation of patients as one of the challenges contributing to the high case fatality rate.
It also cited poor health-seeking behaviour linked to the high cost of Lassa fever treatment and clinical management.
Other challenges identified by the agency include poor environmental sanitation, limited awareness in high-burden communities and infections among healthcare workers.
The NCDC recommended year-round community engagement on Lassa fever prevention and urged healthcare workers to maintain a high level of suspicion for the disease, ensure timely referral and treatment, and adhere to standard infection prevention and control procedures.
About Lassa Fever
Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rodents.
Human-to-human transmission can also occur through contact with bodily fluids.
Symptoms typically begin with fever, weakness and headache but can progress to severe complications, including bleeding, respiratory distress and organ failure if not treated early.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that a vaccine called Ervebo be prioritised for a randomised clinical trial against Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The recommendation followed preliminary animal study data suggesting that the vaccine may provide some cross-protection against the disease, particularly in reducing deaths.
WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccine Prioritisation made the recommendation at its third meeting on 31 July, after reviewing available evidence on the vaccine’s safety, efficacy, availability and feasibility.
The development comes as the DRC continues to respond to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which was declared on 15 May 2026.
As of 30 July, WHO had recorded 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths from the outbreak in the DRC.
Why Ervebo is being considered
The advisory group’s recommendation is significant because Ervebo was developed specifically against Ebola virus disease caused by the Ebola Zaire virus, rather than the Bundibugyo virus.
According to WHO, the group initially advised against using Ervebo outside carefully designed research settings because its effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease remained uncertain.
However, preliminary animal study data indicate that Ervebo may confer some cross-protection against Bundibugyo virus disease, particularly by reducing mortality.
The latest evidence prompted the advisory group to recommend that Ervebo be prioritised for a randomised clinical trial to determine its effectiveness against the disease.
What is the Bundibugyo virus?
The Bundibugyo virus causes Ebola disease. It is distinct from the Ebola virus that Ervebo was specifically developed to protect against.
The Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the DRC is the first of its kind in the country. WHO says there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease.
The disease is a severe infection, and previous Bundibugyo virus disease outbreaks have recorded case fatality rates ranging from 30 to 50 per cent, according to WHO.
Safety concerns
According to WHO, the advisory group found no identified safety concerns with the use of Ervebo among contacts of confirmed cases during a Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak.
READ ALSO: WHO raises alarm as DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak surpasses 3,600 cases
However, the experts stressed that the vaccine’s effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease and its ability to prevent transmission have not been established.
They therefore recommended that these questions be evaluated through clinical research.
WHO said a vaccine specifically developed against the Bundibugyo virus would remain the preferred option, although preliminary data on such candidates are currently unavailable.
The advisory group also emphasised the need to facilitate large-scale vaccine production and access if future evidence demonstrates sufficient efficacy to protect affected populations.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended that a vaccine called Ervebo be prioritised for a randomised clinical trial against Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The recommendation followed preliminary animal study data suggesting that the vaccine may provide some cross-protection against the disease, particularly in reducing deaths.
WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Candidate Vaccine Prioritisation made the recommendation at its third meeting on 31 July, after reviewing available evidence on the vaccine’s safety, efficacy, availability and feasibility.
The development comes as the DRC continues to respond to an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which was declared on 15 May 2026.
As of 30 July, WHO had recorded 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths from the outbreak in the DRC.
Why Ervebo is being considered
The advisory group’s recommendation is significant because Ervebo was developed specifically against Ebola virus disease caused by the Ebola Zaire virus, rather than the Bundibugyo virus.
According to WHO, the group initially advised against using Ervebo outside carefully designed research settings because its effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease remained uncertain.
However, preliminary animal study data indicate that Ervebo may confer some cross-protection against Bundibugyo virus disease, particularly by reducing mortality.
The latest evidence prompted the advisory group to recommend that Ervebo be prioritised for a randomised clinical trial to determine its effectiveness against the disease.
What is the Bundibugyo virus?
The Bundibugyo virus causes Ebola disease. It is distinct from the Ebola virus that Ervebo was specifically developed to protect against.
The Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the DRC is the first of its kind in the country. WHO says there is currently no licensed vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease.
The disease is a severe infection, and previous Bundibugyo virus disease outbreaks have recorded case fatality rates ranging from 30 to 50 per cent, according to WHO.
Safety concerns
According to WHO, the advisory group found no identified safety concerns with the use of Ervebo among contacts of confirmed cases during a Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak.
READ ALSO: WHO raises alarm as DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak surpasses 3,600 cases
However, the experts stressed that the vaccine’s effectiveness against Bundibugyo virus disease and its ability to prevent transmission have not been established.
They therefore recommended that these questions be evaluated through clinical research.
WHO said a vaccine specifically developed against the Bundibugyo virus would remain the preferred option, although preliminary data on such candidates are currently unavailable.
The advisory group also emphasised the need to facilitate large-scale vaccine production and access if future evidence demonstrates sufficient efficacy to protect affected populations.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
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