Health experts raise alarm over lassa fever risks, provides safety tips
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a national advisory to the general public regarding the rising cases of lassa fever currently reported in the country.
In a press statement dated February 10, 2026, the association noted that Lassa fever is a serious public health threat, highlighting its implications for Nigerians.
“Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic illness that has become a significant public health threat in Nigeria,” NARD stated.
The association advised citizens to adhere to strict environmental hygiene, regularly wash their hands with soap and water, avoid contact with rodents or contaminated food, and avoid self-medication when seeking treatment.
According to reports, there have been about 93 confirmed cases, 17 deaths, and over 400 suspected cases of Lassa fever in Nigeria within the last few weeks. Cases have been prominent in Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Edo, and Ondo states, and residents in these areas are expected to remain on high alert, according to experts.
“Ensuring that staple foods like rice, garri, and beans are properly stored in airtight plastic containers is a very important safety measure,” noted Chinoso Egemba, a medical doctor and co-founder of AwaDoc.
“Avoid drying foods on bare floors or rooftops, block every hole that could grant rodents access to the house, and seek medical help when necessary,” he added.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has also warned citizens to dispose of waste properly and avoid contact with rodents.
Mode of transmission
Humans primarily contract the Lassa virus through exposure to food, household items, or surfaces contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats, or through direct contact with the rodents themselves, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO notes that Lassa fever is endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, and is likely present in other West African countries as well.
Symptoms
According to WHO, Lassa fever typically begins gradually with symptoms such as fever, general weakness, headache, and malaise. Within a few days, patients may develop sore throat, muscle and chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, and abdominal pain.
In severe cases, the disease can progress to facial swelling, fluid accumulation in the lungs, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina, or gastrointestinal tract, and low blood pressure. Advanced stages may involve shock, seizures, tremors, disorientation, and coma.
WHO estimates that about 15 percent of hospitalised patients die from the disease, with fatalities often occurring within two weeks of symptom onset.
