Lassa fever surge: Lagos raises alarm, launches statewide campaign

The Lagos State Government has launched a statewide awareness and prevention campaign in response to a surge in Lassa fever infections, with over 660 confirmed cases and 167 deaths reported between January and mid-March 2026. Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi warned that the disease has spread across 22 states and 93 local government areas, raising concerns about the infection of healthcare workers, with three doctors having lost their lives. Although Lagos is not an endemic state, its population density increases the risk of rapid disease transmission.