The Benue State government has confirmed the death of 10 health workers, including five medical doctors, following a recent Lassa fever outbreak in the state.
The disclosure was contained in a report by the African Independent Television (AIT) aired on Friday.
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According to the state epidemiologist, Asema Msuega, 250 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been recorded in Benue, out of which 45 have been confirmed.
Latest statistics released by the state epidemiology unit indicate a surge in infections, prompting the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Ogwuche, to visit the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi for an on-the-spot assessment.
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Mr Msuega described the high number of infections among health workers as worrisome, noting that it suggests human-to-human transmission.
He attributed the development to lapses in infection prevention and control interventions.
Strict adherence to safety protocols
While giving an update on measures taken to contain the outbreak, the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Stephen Hwande, urged residents to strictly adhere to infection prevention protocols.
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Mr Hwande said the hospital had strengthened safety measures to curb further spread of the virus.
The state government commended health workers for their dedication and sacrifice, assuring residents of its commitment to containing the outbreak.
National trend
The latest development in Benue comes amid concerns over rising Lassa fever cases nationwide.
Earlier, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) identified high specimen transportation costs, reporting inconsistencies and weak data validation systems as key challenges affecting timely detection and response to Lassa fever in some states.
The agency’s Director-General, Jide Idris, said transporting samples from remote communities to state laboratories remains expensive and logistically difficult, particularly in hard-to-reach areas, slowing confirmation and response efforts.
In its latest situation report released, the NCDC said 74 new confirmed cases were recorded in Epidemiological Week 6 (2–8 February 2026), up from 44 cases in Week 5.
The new infections were reported across eight states, Taraba, Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi and Ebonyi.
A total of 271 suspected cases and 15 deaths were recorded during the week, with a case fatality rate of 20.3 per cent among confirmed cases.
The agency also reported that two additional healthcare workers were infected during the reporting week, raising concerns about infection prevention and control compliance in health facilities.
Cumulatively, from Epidemiological Week 1 to Week 6 in 2026, Nigeria has recorded 1,034 suspected cases, 240 confirmed cases and four probable cases across 10 states and 42 Local Government Areas.
Within the same period, 51 deaths have been recorded among confirmed cases, resulting in a case fatality rate of 21.3 per cent, higher than the 19.4 per cent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
However, the NCDC noted that the overall number of suspected and confirmed cases so far in 2026 is lower than figures reported within the same period in 2025.
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