The death toll of Lassa fever in Benue State has risen to 10.

The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Msuega Asema, revealed this on Friday when the state Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ejeh-Ogwuche, visited the isolation centres at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi and Federal Medical Centre, Apir where the affected victims are currently receiving treatments.

The health commissioner had earlier in the month formally declared the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state following the rise in figure of suspected cases.

On February 16, the commissioner in a chat with journalists in his office disclosed that four health workers had lost their lives to the dreaded disease while over 60 cases suspected.

But during the on-the-spot assessment of the situation at the University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre, the state epidemiologist revealed that the state is currently facing devastating outbreak of Lassa fever.

Asema said, “The state is currently facing devastating outbreak of Lassa fever, with 45 cases confirmed positive and 10 cumulative mortality out of 250 suspected cases reported.”

He explained that the figures, unfortunately, involved huge number of health workers which include, five medical doctors, four nurses, two community extension workers and one hospital porter.

The Commissioner of Health who spoke with journalists enjoined people not to be threatened by the figures as government is intensifying efforts to contain the disease, having declared a virus outbreak in the state since February 3.

Ogwuche who later addressed the patients said that the stakeholders of the ministry had come to show their solidarity to those on admission in the two facilities.

He assured them of the state government’s efforts at ensuring their speed recovery.

He said, “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.”

Ogwuche said that the state government had activated all the necessary measures to bring containment as possible just as he promised government commitment to mobilise necessary resources to contain the disease.

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.

The commissioner appealed to individuals to immediately report symptoms at designated health facilities for early diagnosis and treatment, stressing that timely intervention remains critical in reducing fatalities associated with Lassa fever.

While commending the health workers for their dedication and sacrifice, Ogwuche also sympathized with the families of those who lost their lives.

Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of Benue State University Teaching Hospital 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.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of BSUTH, Prof. Michael Agbir, lamented that the situation had become unusual compared to previous years and revealed that between January and February 2026, the hospital recorded 28 admissions, with 17 confirmed cases on admission and three deaths

Also, the Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Center, Apir, a suburb of Makurdi, Prof. Joseph Kontor, said that the laboratory 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 Augustine Azuka lamented that inadequate power supply has continued to hamper effective service delivery at the isolation centre.