Mirian Gom 
MAKURDI, Nigeria – Benue State confirms a deadly Lassa fever outbreak that kills 10 health workers, including five medical doctors, as infections surge across the state.
The Benue State government says 46 cases of Lassa fever are now confirmed from about 250 suspected infections recorded in recent weeks. The outbreak prompts an emergency assessment at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi.
Speaking in Makurdi on Saturday, State Epidemiologist Asema Msuega describes the rising infection rate among health workers as alarming, warning it points to human-to-human transmission. He links the spread to lapses in infection prevention and control practices within health facilities.
“The number of infected health workers is worrisome and suggests gaps in infection prevention measures,” Msuega says.
Benue Commissioner for Health and Human Services Paul Ogwuche visits the teaching hospital to assess containment efforts as authorities intensify surveillance and response.
Chief Medical Director Stephen Hwande urges residents and medical personnel to strictly observe infection prevention protocols, saying the hospital has reinforced safety measures to halt further spread.
The outbreak unfolds amid a nationwide rise in Lassa fever cases. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention cites high specimen transportation costs, weak data validation and reporting delays as key obstacles to early detection, especially in remote communities.
NCDC Director-General Jide Idris says logistical challenges slow confirmation and response, increasing risks for health workers and patients alike.
In its latest situation report, the agency records 74 new confirmed cases in Epidemiological Week 6, with infections reported in Benue, Ondo, Edo, Taraba, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kogi and Ebonyi states. Nigeria records 51 deaths from confirmed cases so far in 2026, pushing the case fatality rate above last year’s levels.
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Koko Maxwella 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwatobi Adu