Lagos State Government has issued a public health alert on Lassa fever, announcing the commencement of a statewide awareness and prevention campaign amid rising national cases and growing concerns over healthcare workers infected.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi, in a detailed kick-off message, warned that Nigeria is currently experiencing one of its most severe Lassa fever outbreaks in recent years, with over 660 confirmed cases and 167 deaths recorded between January and mid-March 2026.
He disclosed that the outbreak has spread across 22 states and 93 local government areas, describing the trend as “a serious national health concern” that demands urgent, coordinated and proactive measures at both federal and state levels.
According to him, an especially troubling dimension of the outbreak is the infection of frontline health workers, revealing that at least 38 healthcare personnel have contracted the disease, with three doctors losing their lives since the beginning of the year.
Although Lagos is not classified as an endemic state and typically records only a few imported cases annually, the Commissioner warned that its status as a densely populated commercial hub significantly increases the risk of rapid transmission.
Lassa fever is a highly contagious zoonotic viral disease transmitted primarily from rodents and bushmeat to humans, and subsequently spreads from person to person, often presenting as a haemorrhagic illness capable of causing fever and internal bleeding.
To mitigate these risks, Professor Abayomi revealed that Lagos State has strengthened its preparedness architecture through a 24-hour Emergency Operations Centre, enhanced surveillance systems, digital health tools and continuous training of healthcare workers in biosecurity and infection prevention.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
