A resurgence of Lassa fever in Benue State has claimed the life of a medical doctor, Dr Vitalis Tersoo Azever, following complications associated with the viral disease.

Azever, who was a staff member of APIN Public Health Initiatives (formerly AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria) in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State, died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in Plateau State where he had been receiving treatment.

His death threw the medical community in Benue into mourning, coming barely 48 hours after another young doctor, Dr Cedric Tyoor Kondom, also died at the same facility from bone marrow failure.

State Commissioner of Health and Human Resources, Dr Paul Ogwuche, who confirmed the new case to journalists in Makurdi on Monday, disclosed that the ministry has embarked on case and contact tracings.

Ogwuche explained that the victim succumbed to the death after struggling for over two weeks, stressing that the state was on the verge of declaring the outbreak over before the new case was recorded a few days ago.

He said that with the fresh development, emergency response measures have been activated to contain the spread of the viral disease and protect residents, adding that the ministry has heightened the campaign by going back to the communities.

The commissioner said, “There is a fresh case of Lassa fever in the state. Only one doctor had died. The victim was buried on Saturday being 20th June, 2026. He worked with APIN Foundation in the Konshisha local government area of the State, but hailed from the Kwande local government axis.

“So far, there is no other person on admission at any hospital in the state. In fact, we wanted to declare the outbreak over before this case came up. The doctor took ill and was managing himself at home and in a private hospital.

“For over two weeks he was struggling and when there was no improvement, then another of his friends told him that his situation is suggestive of Lassa fever and they carried out something like a casual test on him which turned positive.

“So, when we even wanted to put him on admission at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, he said no, that we should give him drugs to take at home and injection. But we said no, it wouldn’t work like that. He was eventually taken to the teaching hospital for a test.”

Ogwuche added that a baseline investigation was conducted on the victim where it was discovered that his kidney was already affected.

“We had to refer him to Jos. So, he actually died in Jos and the corpse was brought from JUTH and buried on Saturday.

“We checked all our facilities, heightened our surveillance and for this particular case, we have embarked on case and contact tracings too, spreading the message. We have ongoing engagement with the media for jiggles. We are thinking of bringing people from churches and mosques to train and even traditional rulers too because they are in the communities.

“Like I told you earlier, we were about to declare the outbreak over after the 42 days incubation period before this case broke out. This is the only case for now. And so, we are still going to wait for another 42 days of incubation period before we can think of declaring it over again,” Ogwuche posited.

Meanwhile, the other medical doctor identified as Dr. Tyoor Cedric Kondom, who graduated recently and was waiting for his induction into the profession in 11 days reportedly died of bone marrow failure.

President of the Moses Orshio Adasu University Medical Alumni Association (MOAUMAA), Dr Msonter Anzaa, who announced the deaths of both doctors in an emergency address to members at the weekend, described the loss as devastating to the association and the wider Hippocratic community.

“It is with a heavy heart that I address you this morning. In the past 48 hours, death tore through our fold and made away two of us – Dr Vitalis Tersoo Azever and Dr Cedric Tyoor Kondom,” Anzaa said.

He disclosed that while Azever was a practicing medical doctor with APIN Initiatives, Kondom was a recent graduate who was due for induction into the medical profession in just 11 days.

He added, “Their loss is devastating to the entire Hippocratic community in Benue and beyond. For us, their nuclear family members in MOAUMAA, the scale of pain cannot even be quantified.”

Anzaa said Azever’s remains were handed over to the Safe Burial Team of the Benue State Government at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi, before it was conveyed to his hometown in Kwande Local Government Area for burial.

He added that Kondom’s body would also be returned to Benue, while funeral arrangements would be announced by the family.

The MOAUMAA president further declared a seven-day mourning period, adding that the third week of June would henceforth be observed as the association’s Annual Week of Remembrance in honour of deceased colleagues.

He, however, lamented what he described as the “now-too-familiar shortcomings” of the nation’s healthcare system, which he said may have contributed to the tragic losses, but urged members to remain united in grief and continue advocating reforms in the health sector. (Daily Trust)

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