Lassa Fever Kills 10 Health Workers In Benue – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

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…State Confirms 45 Others Down With Virus

MAKURDI – The Benue State govern­ment has confirmed that 10 health workers in the state have died due to what the state government de­scribed as “infectious-prevention lapses.”

The government also stated that another 45 persons had been confirmed down with the virus. The number released is out of the 250 suspected cases of Lassa Fever in the state.

Following the outbreak of the virus, the State Ministry of Health and Human Services has dispatched surveillance officers to all the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state, as part of measures to strengthen monitoring, contact tracing, and render community engagement towards curbing the further spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the ministry has appealed to individuals to im­mediately report symptoms of Lassa Fever to designated health facilities for early diagnosis and treatment, emphasising that ear­ly intervention remains critical in reducing fatalities associated with Lassa fever.

Disclosing the disturbing numbers to the State Commis­sioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Msuega Asema, said that it is more worri­some that the numbers involve a huge number of health workers in the state.

Asema further told the com­missioner, who was on an on-the-spot assessment visit to iso­lation centres at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi and Feder­al Medical Centre (FMC) Apir, noted that five medical doctors, four nurses, two community extension workers and one hos­pital porter were among those that have been confirm to have contacted the virus.

While lamenting the growing concern of Lassa Fever infection among health workers in the state, Dr Asema, noted that the affected persons have already been placed on isolation and were currently receiving treat­ments.

In his remarks during the visit to the facilities, Dr. Paul Ogwuche enjoined the people of the state, not to feel threatened by the figures as government has intensified efforts to contain the spread of the virus, since the out­break of the disease in the state.

He said, “We have come here to assess the situation on ground. So far, five doctors and other health workers are involved in this infection. This is human to human transmission and the gap is infectious-prevention lapses.

“So, we have come to see how the centres are doing and how we can move ahead so that we con­tain the outbreak of Lassa fever quickly in our state.

“Yes, the data has come up, it looks threatening, but I want to say that the state government under Governor Hyacinth Alia is fully committed and doing all its best to ensure that this condition is contained as soon as possible.

“We have activated all the necessary measures to bring con­tainment as soon as possible. The state government is committed and ready as all necessary re­sources are to be mobilised to contain the disease,” Ogwuche stressed.

He however maintained that, he among other critical stake­holders of the ministry have come to show their solidarity to those on admission in those facilities and let them know that they are not alone, and that the state government was fully be­hind them and doing everything possible to see that they recover speedily and get back to their re­spective homes.

Therefore, Ogwuche com­mended the health workers for their dedication and sacrifice. He also symphatised with the families of those who lost their lives to the virus, just as he as­sured that government was ful­ly committee to containing the outbreak.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), BSUTH, Mak­urdi, Dr. Stephen Hwande, who updated the commissioner on measures taken to contain the outbreak, commended Dr Og­wuche for the visit, noting that BSUTH has put in place favour­able measures to contain the fever and enjoined residents to adhere strictly to infection pre­vention protocols.

He also advised that there was immediate need for inter­vention to upgrade the isolation centres in the state with patient monitors, improved waste man­agement systems, and other essential equipment, including setting up a functional emergen­cy laboratory within the centre for on-site testing.

The Chairman, Medical Advi­sory Committee of the hospital, Prof. Michael Agbir, lamented that the situation was unusual compared to previous years, pointing out that between Janu­ary and February, 2026, the hospi­tal recorded 28 admissions, with 17 confirmed cases on admission and three deaths.

On his part, the CMD, Feder­al Medical Centre (FMC), Apir, Prof Joseph Kontor, lamented that inadequate power supply has continue has been a major impediment to effective service delivery at the isolation centre.

Represented by Dr. Uche Au­gustine Azuka, who conducted the health commissioner round the Isolation Centre and the Mo­lecular Laboratory, where all the Lassa fever tests are being carried out at the facility, Part Kontor, explained that the lab has been providing diagnosis for COVID, Lassa Fever, chicken pox, cholera and hepatitis B, C and other molecular tests.