The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has raised an urgent alert to healthcare workers amid a worrying surge in Lassa fever infections among medical personnel. In a public advisory issued during the peak of the 2025/2026 transmission season, the NCDC confirmed that 15 healthcare workers have tested positive, with two fatalities recorded as of Epidemiological Week 7.
“The safety of healthcare workers remains our top priority,” the DG emphasized. “We urge all personnel to take every precaution to prevent infection and protect lives.”
Healthcare worker infections have been reported across several states, notably in Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Benue, with some outbreaks traced to specific local government areas. Investigations revealed significant gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, including inconsistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE), low awareness of exposure risks, and underestimation of threats in outpatient units and general wards. 
“Undiagnosed patients often appear in general wards and outpatient departments,” the NCDC warned. “It is dangerous to assume that only isolation units carry risk.”
The advisory stressed that non-clinical staff, such as cleaners, porters, and administrative workers, are equally vulnerable and must be included in IPC training and safety measures. Alarmingly, surveillance data indicated an average six-day delay between symptom onset and seeking care among infected healthcare workers, often due to stigma or self-medication.
Infections typically occur through contact with contaminated blood, urine, vomit, or other body fluids, performing clinical procedures without adequate PPE, poor hand hygiene, handling contaminated instruments, or delayed isolation of suspected cases. The NCDC reiterated that standard precautions must be applied to all patients at all times, with proper handwashing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers as the first line of defense.
Health facilities are directed to ensure the availability of gloves, masks, respirators, gowns, disinfectants, and proper waste disposal systems, while establishing functional isolation areas and clear referral pathways for suspected cases. Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to high-burden states, alongside the distribution of essential PPE, targeted sensitization campaigns, and issuance of state-specific advisories.
“We commend states like Edo that have successfully controlled outbreaks in their jurisdictions,” the DG noted. “Protecting healthcare workers is central to controlling Lassa fever. Strict IPC practices, early detection, and coordinated state-level action will save lives and prevent further spread.”
