Benue Government on revealed that the state is currently facing devastating outbreak of Lassa Fever, with 45 cases confirmed positive and 10 cumulative deaths out of 250 suspected cases reported.

The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Msuega Asema, disclosed this when the State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche visited the isolation centres at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) Makurdi and Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Apir, where the affected victims are currently receiving treatments.

Dr. Asema explained that the figures, worriedly involved huge number of health workers which includes five medical doctors, four nurses, two community extension workers and one hospital porter, lamenting that there is growing Lassa infection amongst health workers in the state.

Speaking at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre Apir respectively, Dr. Ogwuche enjoined people not to be threatened by the figures. He said the state government is intensifying effort to contain the disease, having declared a virus outbreak in the state since February 3rd.

Ogwuche said along with other critical stakeholders of the ministry, they have come to show their solidarity to those on admission in those facilities and to let them known that they are not alone, and that the State government is doing everything possible to see that they recover speedily and get back to their respective homes.

“We have also come here to access 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.

He announced that already, the ministry had deployed its surveillance officers across the 23 LGAs of the State to strengthen monitoring, contact tracing, and render community engagement towards curbing further spread of the virus and appealed to individuals to immediately report symptoms at designated health facilities for early diagnosis and treatment.

Ogwuche commended the health workers for their dedication and sacrifice and sympathized with the families of those who lost their lives, assuring them of government commitment.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of BSUTH Makurdi, Dr. Stephen Hwande, while giving an update on measures taken to contain the outbreak, commended the commissioner for the visit, stating that the hospital had put favourable measures in place to contain the disease and enjoined residents to strictly adhere to infection prevention protocols.

According to him, there is 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 has become unusual compared to previous years, revealing that between January and February 2026, the hospital recorded 28 admissions, with 17 confirmed cases on admission and three deaths

On his part, while conducting the honourable commissioner and his entourage round the molecular laboratory where all the Lassa fever tests are being carried out and the isolation centre at the Federal Medical Center Apir, the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Joseph Kontor, said that the lab has been providing diagnosis for Covid, Lassa, chicken pox, cholera and hepatitis B, C and other molecular tests.

Kontor who was represented by Dr. Uche Azuka lamented that inadequate power supply has continue to hamper effective services at the isolation centre, making conduct of laboratory tests practically impossible for the hospital.

He further urged the State government to assist the hospital with consumables and provision of Personal Protection Equipment(PPE), hence patients are being treated and discharged free of charge.

The coordinator of the isolation centre and Head of clinical services FMC, Dr. Michael Odoh, disclosed that 10 patients are currently at the facility out of which, two are suspected and eight confirmed, while out of these confirmed cases, four are health workers, two nurses, one doctor and a porter who are all doing well.

He said apart from those at the isolation centre, we still have three doctors who are in self-isolation and also doing well with treatment.

The State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche with other government officials during the hospital visit. (This Day)

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