Benue State Records 243 Suspected Lassa Fever Cases, 13 Deaths Since January

The Benue State Government has reported a total of 243 suspected Lassa fever cases between January and September 2025, with 13 fatalities recorded during the period.

Providing the update, the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Asema Msuega, disclosed that 18 of the suspected cases were confirmed through laboratory testing. Of the 13 deaths, five were from confirmed cases, while the remaining eight were considered probable cases — referring to individuals who showed symptoms of Lassa fever but died before samples could be collected for confirmation.

Tragically, one of the victims was a healthcare worker.

In response to the outbreak, Dr. Msuega revealed that the State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), launched a community-based intervention project in August 2025 targeting Lassa fever hotspots across the state.

The initiative includes rodent control measures, environmental sanitation efforts, and widespread clean-up campaigns. It also emphasizes public awareness campaigns and the training of healthcare workers on effective case management and patient referral systems.