Benue Records 243 Suspected Lassa Fever Cases, 13 Deaths

The Benue State epidemiologist, Dr Asema Msuega, has said from January to date, the state has witnessed 243 suspected cases of Lassa Fever.

Asema said of the 243, 18 were confirmed, with five deaths recorded from the confirmed cases while eight deaths were probable.

According to him, “probable deaths are deaths of persons suspected to have Lassa fever disease, and before a sample could be taken, they died, eight in number, bringing the total death rate to 13.

He said that of the 13 deaths recorded, one was a health worker.

Asema explained that in August 2025, the state Ministry of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), carried out a community intervention project in Lassa’s fever hotspot. The project focused on rodent control initiatives, including clean-up and environmental sanitation, to reduce the spread of the disease even at the state’s IDP camps.

He said, “We also carried out community engagement and sensitisation, as well as the training of community health workers on case management and referral pathways”