Following the death of two healthcare workers as a result of Lassa Fever, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reissued an advisory to all healthcare workers as part of the intensified national response efforts during the Lassa fever peak transmission season.
Signed by NCDC’s Director General and Published on Monday, the advisory instructs healthcare workers to strictly adhere to Infection Prevention Control (IPC) practice.
“NCDC appreciates the unwavering dedication of our healthcare workers across the country in responding to infectious disease outbreaks. We also express our deepest sympathy over the recent infections and loss of healthcare workers to Lassa fever during the current 2025/2026 outbreak season.
“The safety of healthcare workers remains our highest priority. We therefore urge all healthcare personnel to take every necessary measure to prevent Lassa fever infection and the associated loss of life”, the agency said.
According to the advisory, recent surveillance data indicate a concerning increase in Lassa fever infections among healthcare workers, with 15 confirmed cases and 2 deaths recorded as of Epidemiological Week 7.
“Healthcare worker infections have been reported across multiple states, including the known high-burden areas such
as Ondo, Edo, Bauchi, Taraba, Ebonyi, and Benue, with specific hotspots often identified at the LGA
level.
“As part of its mandate, NCDC investigates every healthcare worker infection to identify drivers of transmission and prevent further cases. Recent findings reveal gaps in infection prevention and control practices, as well as missed risks of exposure in certain departments. These gaps have resulted in IPC strategies that are misaligned with actual exposure risks, with fatal consequences”, the agency said.
It noted that key drivers of Healthcare Worker Infections include a low index of suspicion, combined with inconsistent availability and inappropriate use of Personal Protective Euipment (PPE), which continues to expose healthcare workers to infection.
Consequently, NCDC added that, healthcare workers in outpatient departments and general wards often underestimate their risk, operating under the mistaken belief that only isolation units pose a threat. However, undiagnosed patients were frequently present in these settings.
They disclosed that Healthcare worker infections commonly occur through: Contact with infected blood, urine, vomit, or other body fluids; Clinical procedures performed without adequate PPE; Poor hand hygiene after patient contact; Contact with contaminated surfaces, beddings, or instruments; and Delayed recognition and isolation of suspected cases.
They were therefore advised to keep both living and working environments clean and free of rodents, Strictly Apply Standard Precautions, Use appropriate PPE and apply IPC practices at every patient interaction, Maintain a High Index of Suspicion: Treat all febrile illnesses with vigilance and report suspected cases immediately, promptly Reporting and Post-Exposure Actions- Report any exposure to suspected or confirmed cases, Adhere to daily symptom monitoring, seek immediate institutional support and Avoid self-medication or home treatment.
