At least 10 health workers, including five doctors, have died amid a recent surge of Lassa fever cases in Benue State, raising fresh alarm over the safety of frontline medical personnel.
The state epidemiologist, Asema Msuega, disclosed that 250 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been reported in the state, with 45 confirmed infections.
The fatalities were confirmed in a report aired on African Independent Television (AIT) on Friday.
Msuega expressed concern over the high infection rate among health workers, suggesting possible human-to-human transmission.
He attributed the trend to lapses in infection prevention and control protocols within healthcare facilities.
In response to the outbreak, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Ogwuche, visited the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, to assess preparedness and containment measures.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Stephen Hwande, urged residents to strictly follow safety guidelines to curb further spread.
“The hospital has intensified infection control measures, but the cooperation of the public remains critical,” Hwande said.
The state government commended health workers for their courage and sacrifice, assuring residents of its commitment to containing the outbreak.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) recently highlighted high costs of specimen transport, reporting inconsistencies, and weak data validation as barriers to timely Lassa fever response in several states.
The NCDC reported 74 new confirmed cases nationwide in Epidemiological Week 6 (2–8 February 2026), up from 44 cases in Week 5, spanning Taraba, Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Ebonyi.
Two additional healthcare workers were infected during the week, intensifying concerns over infection control compliance.
Cumulatively, Nigeria has recorded 1,034 suspected cases, 240 confirmed cases, and 51 deaths from confirmed cases across 10 states and 42 Local Government Areas from
Epidemiological Week 1 to Week 6, 2026. The case fatality rate among confirmed cases stands at 21.3 per cent, up from 19.4 per cent during the same period in 2025.
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