The Benue State Government has confirmed that 10 health workers have lost their lives following a recent Lassa fever outbreak, with five of those who died reported to be medical doctors.
The disclosure was made in a report aired by African Independent Television (AIT) on Friday.
According to the state epidemiologist, Asema Msuega, authorities have recorded 250 suspected cases of Lassa fever, while 45 infections have been confirmed through laboratory testing.
Latest figures from the state epidemiology unit indicate a significant surge in cases, prompting the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Ogwuche, to conduct an on-site assessment at Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi to review the situation directly.
Mr Msuega described the high rate of infections among medical personnel as worrisome, noting that it suggests the possibility of human-to-human transmission.
He attributed the trend to lapses in infection prevention and control protocols within some healthcare facilities.
Speaking on containment measures, the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Stephen Hwande, urged residents to strictly adhere to infection prevention guidelines.
Mr Hwande added that the hospital has strengthened safety and precautionary steps to curb further spread of the virus.
The state government also commended healthcare workers for their dedication and sacrifices, reaffirming its commitment to containing the outbreak.
The situation in Benue reflects broader concerns about the rising number of Lassa fever cases nationwide.
Earlier, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) identified key challenges slowing rapid detection and response in some states, including high costs of transporting samples, inconsistent reporting, and weak data validation processes.
The agency’s Director-General, Jide Idris, noted that moving specimens from remote communities to state laboratories remains expensive and logistically difficult, especially in hard-to-reach locations, leading to delays in confirmation and response.
In its latest situation report, the NCDC said 74 new confirmed cases were recorded in Epidemiological Week 6 (2–8 February 2026), up from 44 cases reported in Week 5.
The new infections were reported across eight states — Taraba, Ondo, Bauchi, Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, and Ebonyi.
During the same week, 271 suspected cases and 15 deaths were documented, with a case fatality rate of 20.3 per cent among confirmed infections.
The agency also reported that two additional healthcare workers became infected during the week, heightening concerns about adherence to infection prevention and control measures in health facilities.
From Epidemiological Week 1 through Week 6 of 2026, Nigeria has recorded 1,034 suspected cases, 240 confirmed infections, and four probable cases across 10 states and 42 Local Government Areas.
Within that period, 51 deaths were reported among confirmed cases, representing a case fatality rate of 21.3 per cent — higher than the 19.4 per cent recorded during the same timeframe in 2025.
Despite the increase in fatalities, the NCDC stated that the overall number of suspected and confirmed cases reported so far in 2026 remains lower than figures documented during the corresponding period last year.