Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria kills 268, spreads to 119 LGAs across 24 states

Nigeria's Lassa fever outbreak has killed 268 people out of 8,414 suspected cases in the first 40 weeks of 2026, with the disease now present in 119 local government areas across 24 states. The case fatality rate and geographic spread indicate a severe and expanding outbreak, though the source does not specify whether this represents a deviation from prior seasonal patterns. The scale underscores a significant public health emergency in West Africa's most populous country.