The Lagos State Government has issued a public health alert on Lassa fever, announcing the launch of a statewide awareness and prevention campaign aimed at curbing the spread of the disease.
The initiative comes amid a rise in reported cases across Nigeria and increasing concern over infections among healthcare workers.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, disclosed this in a statement marking the commencement of the campaign, warning that “Nigeria is witnessing one of its most severe outbreaks in recent years.”
He revealed that between January and mid-March 2026, the country recorded over 660 confirmed cases and 167 deaths, describing the figures as a call for urgent public sensitisation and strict adherence to preventive measures.
According to him, the outbreak has now spread across 22 states and 93 local government areas, describing the situation as “a serious national health concern” requiring coordinated and proactive intervention at both federal and state levels.
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Abayomi expressed particular concern over infections among frontline medical personnel, noting that at least 38 healthcare workers have been infected, while three doctors have died since the beginning of the year.
“When a disease begins to kill frontline workers, that is a serious warning sign,” he said.
Although Lagos is not classified as an endemic state and typically records only imported cases, he warned that its high population density and status as a commercial hub place it at significant risk of rapid transmission.
“Every day, thousands of people move in and out of Lagos by road and air. In a megacity like ours, infectious diseases can spread very quickly if not contained early, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he noted.
The commissioner explained that unlike earlier patterns where Lassa fever occurred mainly in seasonal outbreaks, recent evidence suggests year-round transmission, driven by increased human exposure to rodent reservoirs and environmental changes.
He added that about 70 per cent of infected persons show mild or no symptoms but can still transmit the virus, creating a silent spread particularly in densely populated areas.
Abayomi further classified Lassa fever alongside other high-risk viral diseases such as Ebola and Marburg virus disease, noting that they fall under pathogens capable of severely disrupting health systems if not properly contained.
He attributed the growing frequency of such diseases to climate change, deforestation, and ecological disruption, which are forcing rodents and wildlife closer to human settlements while increasing human encroachment into natural habitats.
To strengthen response capacity, he said Lagos State has enhanced its preparedness framework through a 24-hour Emergency Operations Centre, improved surveillance systems, deployment of digital health tools, and continuous training of health workers in infection prevention and control.
“Preparedness is not a panic response. It is leadership,” he said, adding that the state’s strategy focuses on early detection, rapid isolation, and effective case management to prevent escalation of outbreaks.
