Oyo State Government has confirmed a case of Lassa fever at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, with the patient reported dead.

This was as the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised concern over Lassa fever deaths in the country. It warned that rising infections and fatalities since late 2025 remain a serious public health threat to the most populous black nation.

According to the government, the situation remains worrisome due to the endemic nature of the disease, which continues to affect residents in the southern and northern parts of the country.

The case involved a 44-year-old woman who was managed at the facility but died on Saturday, April 11, 2026, while laboratory confirmation of the infection was received two days later.

Confirming the development in a statement, the Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, said the state government had activated its emergency response mechanisms following the confirmed case.

She disclosed that the Incident Management System (IMS) for Lassa fever had been activated to coordinate response activities, including surveillance and containment measures.

According to her, health authorities have commenced contact tracing to identify and monitor all persons who may have been exposed to the deceased, while arrangements have been made to ensure a safe and dignified burial.

Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty in breathing, noting that early presentation at health facilities significantly improves survival chances.

SPEAKING yesterday at a press briefing on regional health priorities and progress updates, WHO’s Director of Health Emergencies, Marie Belisee, said the organisation was partnering with the Nigerian government in addressing the fight against the outbreak.

According to Ms Belisee, Nigeria has recorded 685 confirmed cases of Lassa fever since November 2025, in addition to more than 4,000 suspected cases being monitored across affected communities in the country.

She stated that the outbreak resulted in deaths within the period under review, describing the figure as alarming, particularly given the increasing number of infections among healthcare workers.

Also, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said Nigeria was recording an increase in Lassa fever fatality rate. This is despite a decline in weekly confirmed cases, raising fresh concerns over disease management nationwide.

The agency disclosed, yesterday, in its Epidemiological Week 14 report for 2026, that confirmed cases dropped from 26 in the previous week to 22, while the case fatality rate rose significantly.

It said the Case Fatality Rate (CFR) increased to 24.8 per cent, compared with 18.8 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025, indicating worsening outcomes despite fewer infections.

Cumulatively, Nigeria had recorded 170 deaths from Lassa fever in 2026, underscoring persistent challenges related to early detection, timely treatment, and health-seeking behaviour across affected communities nationwide.

The report showed that 22 states and 94 local councils had reported confirmed cases in 2026, with five states accounting for about 84 per cent of total infections recorded.