Nigeria has recorded 14 new confirmed cases of Lassa fever, raising the country’s cumulative infections to 1,035, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.

The latest cases were recorded between August 10 and 16, 2026, in Ondo, Bauchi, Edo and Benue states, according to the agency’s Lassa fever situation report released in Abuja on Tuesday.

The NCDC said cumulative deaths from the disease had increased to 252, while the case fatality rate (CFR) rose to 24.4 per cent, compared with 18.6 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

“The 14 new cases represented an increase from four cases reported during epidemiological week 32, when cases were recorded in Ondo and Edo states,” the agency said.

According to the report, cumulative infections stood at 1,021 in week 32, with 240 deaths and a CFR of 23.5 per cent.

The agency noted that the week 32 figure itself represented a decline from the 17 confirmed cases recorded in epidemiological week 31, highlighting fluctuations in weekly transmission of the disease.

By week 33, the NCDC said, 23 states had reported at least one confirmed Lassa fever case across 117 local government areas.

The disease control agency said it would continue surveillance and response activities across affected states, stressing that Lassa fever remained a significant public health concern in the country.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness that can cause severe disease and death, particularly when diagnosis and treatment are delayed. The NCDC has consistently urged Nigerians to seek prompt medical attention when symptoms associated with the disease occur.