Lassa fever deaths surge to 167 as healthcare workers fall ill nationwide
The Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria continues worsening, with 167 confirmed deaths at an alarming 25.2% case fatality rate as of last month. Over 663 cases have been recorded across 22 states and the FCT, including 38 healthcare workers who are disproportionately affected by the preventable disease.
This represents a concerning trajectory: 214 deaths in 2024, 201 deaths in 2025 (18.4% fatality rate), and now 167 deaths already this year with a rising fatality rate. Healthcare workers account for significant share of infections despite being the frontline defense against the disease that has ravaged Nigeria since 1969.
The crisis stems from inadequate healthcare infrastructure - workers treating infectious patients in ill-equipped facilities without proper PPE, training, or isolation capacity. Solutions include pre-positioning Ribavirin antiviral drugs in endemic areas, establishing isolation wards, community rodent control programs, and mental health support for frontline workers. Every health worker lost means surgeries postponed and maternal deaths increase.
With thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses already emigrating annually, can Nigeria afford to lose more healthcare workers to a preventable disease? The difference between counting more dead and containing this outbreak is entirely within our hands.