Benue Doctor Dies of Lassa Fever as State Records Fresh Outbreak
A senior medical doctor working with the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State has died from complications arising from Lassa fever, prompting health authorities to intensify surveillance and contact-tracing efforts across the state.
The Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ejeh-Ogwuche, confirmed the development on Monday in Makurdi, describing the case as a setback at a time the state was close to being declared free of the disease.
According to the commissioner, the deceased, who hailed from Kwande Local Government Area and worked with APIN in Konshisha, battled the illness for more than two weeks before testing positive for Lassa fever.
“There is a fresh case of Lassa fever in the state. He was a doctor and was buried last Saturday, June 20, 2026. He worked with APIN Foundation in Konshisha Local Government Area but hailed from Kwande Local Government Area,” Ogwuche said.
He explained that the doctor initially struggled with the illness for several weeks before a colleague suggested that his symptoms were consistent with Lassa fever. A laboratory test later confirmed the infection.
Ogwuche disclosed that efforts were made to admit the doctor to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, but he initially preferred to receive treatment at home.
“For over two weeks, he was struggling, and when there was no improvement, a friend suggested his condition was suggestive of Lassa fever. A test carried out returned positive.
“When we wanted to admit him at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, he declined, requesting to be managed at home with drugs and injections. We insisted that he be taken to the teaching hospital for proper evaluation,” he said.
The commissioner further revealed that investigations showed the deceased had underlying kidney complications, necessitating his referral to the University of Jos Teaching Hospital in Plateau State, where he later died.
“As a result, we referred him to the University of Jos Teaching Hospital, where he later died. His remains were brought back and buried in line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention burial protocols on Saturday,” he added.
Following the renewed outbreak, the state government has activated emergency response measures, including contact tracing, case investigation, heightened surveillance, and public sensitisation campaigns.
Ogwuche said health authorities had also strengthened monitoring across healthcare facilities in response to recent alerts on other infectious diseases, including Ebola.
“We have been doing sensitisation, checking our facilities, and heightening surveillance. In this case, we have also commenced case investigation and contact tracing,” he said.
The commissioner noted that Benue State had nearly completed the mandatory 42-day incubation monitoring period required to declare the outbreak over before the fresh case emerged.
He explained that the new infection means the state must begin another observation cycle before it can be certified free of Lassa fever.