Posted on: Thu 05-02-2026

At least four frontline health workers in Benue State have been infected with Lassa fever as the number of reported cases of the viral haemorrhagic disease climbed to 56.

The latest figures were confirmed by the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services, following a steady rise in suspected and confirmed cases across the state.

In a press statement issued in Makurdi, the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, disclosed that the affected health workers include three nurses and one community health worker who tested positive after being exposed in the line of duty.

According to the commissioner, the state has officially declared a Lassa fever outbreak and activated emergency public health response measures aimed at containing further spread of the disease.

“Out of the total reported cases, eight have been laboratory confirmed, with three deaths recorded among confirmed patients and one additional probable death currently under investigation,” Ogwuche stated.

He noted that the infection of healthcare workers highlights gaps in Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices in some facilities, exposing frontline medical personnel to increased risk.

Ogwuche also expressed grief over the recent death of a Benue-born medical doctor who succumbed to Lassa fever while working in Jos, Plateau State, describing the incident as a painful loss to the state and the nation’s health sector.

The commissioner stressed the urgent need for strict compliance with IPC protocols in all health facilities, warning that lax adherence could further endanger patients and healthcare providers.

As part of the response, he said Governor Hyacinth Alia has approved the activation of the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to coordinate surveillance, case management, contact tracing, and risk communication across the state’s 23 local government areas.

While urging residents to remain calm but vigilant, Ogwuche explained that Lassa fever is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their urine and droppings, and can also spread from person to person, particularly in healthcare settings with inadequate infection control measures.

He advised residents to maintain proper environmental hygiene, store food safely to prevent rodent infestation, avoid self-medication, and seek prompt medical attention at health facilities when symptoms such as persistent fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, or unexplained bleeding occur.

The state government, he added, remains committed to protecting public health and intensifying efforts to curb the outbreak.

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