The Lagos State Government has launched a statewide public health awareness and prevention campaign on Lassa fever following the growing number of infections being recorded across Nigeria and concerns over the safety of medical personnel.
Announcing the development on Saturday, the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, said the country is currently facing one of its most serious Lassa fever outbreaks in recent years. He disclosed that between January and the middle of March 2026, more than 660 confirmed cases and 167 deaths had been reported nationwide.
According to him, the disease has now spread across 22 states and 93 local government areas, a development he described as a major national health emergency that demands swift and coordinated action from all levels of government and the public.
Abayomi expressed particular concern over the rising number of healthcare workers who have been infected while attending to patients. He revealed that at least 38 frontline health personnel have contracted the virus, while three doctors have sadly lost their lives.
He noted that when a disease begins to claim the lives of those on the front lines of response, it signals the seriousness of the outbreak and the urgent need for stricter safety measures in health facilities. He stressed the importance of enhanced vigilance, adherence to infection prevention protocols and faster response mechanisms.
Explaining the nature of the disease, the commissioner said Lassa fever is a highly infectious zoonotic illness commonly transmitted from rodents, especially through contact with rat droppings, urine or contaminated food items. He added that it can also spread from one person to another and may present as a haemorrhagic fever, with symptoms such as high fever and internal bleeding in severe cases.
Although Lagos is not traditionally regarded as an endemic state and usually records only a limited number of imported cases each year, Abayomi warned that the city’s large population and constant movement of people make it especially vulnerable.
He pointed out that thousands of residents and visitors enter and leave Lagos daily by road and air, increasing the risk of rapid spread if suspected cases are not identified and contained early. He referenced the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of how quickly infections can move through a megacity.
The commissioner also noted that recent findings suggest the disease is no longer restricted to seasonal outbreaks, as was previously believed. Instead, there are indications that transmission may now occur throughout the year, driven by environmental changes and increased contact between humans and rodent carriers.
He further explained that nearly 70 per cent of infected persons may show only mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, yet they can still transmit the virus, creating a hidden risk, especially in crowded urban areas.
On the severity of the illness, Abayomi said about one in every five symptomatic patients may develop serious complications that can become fatal if diagnosis and treatment are delayed.
He grouped Lassa fever with other dangerous viral diseases such as Ebola and Marburg, describing them as high-risk pathogens capable of putting immense pressure on health systems when outbreaks are not properly managed.
To tackle the situation, he said Lagos has strengthened its preparedness measures through a round-the-clock emergency operations centre, improved disease surveillance, the use of digital health tools and continuous training for medical workers on infection control and biosecurity.
He also assured residents that the state is collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, the Federal Ministry of Health and key partners, including Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, to improve response capacity and public sensitisation.
The new campaign, he said, will focus on educating communities, building the capacity of health professionals and promoting preventive measures to reduce the spread of the disease.
Abayomi urged Lagos residents to stay calm but remain alert, stressing that collective responsibility and strict compliance with health guidelines are crucial to containing the outbreak and safeguarding lives.
