Benue on red alert as Lassa fever claims another victim

Tension has enveloped Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of Benue State following the death of a 54-year-old woman who reportedly succumbed to Lassa fever at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

Sources close to the deceased’s family disclosed that panic heightened across the affected communities after a medical team from the state Ministry of Health arrived to trace individuals who had contact with the deceased before her death.

It was gathered that the woman, a native of Ogbadibo LGA, passed away on Sunday after laboratory tests confirmed she had contracted the deadly virus. Her remains were initially deposited in a private morgue in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu LGA, before some agitated community youths reportedly seized the body during burial preparations.

Confirming the incident, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Resources, said he personally led a high-powered delegation of health officials and security operatives to the two local government areas to restore calm and prevent further spread of the disease.

“During initial response efforts, the ministry’s Rapid Response Team was confronted by some agitated youths while trying to conduct a safe burial,” Ogwuche said.

“Through dialogue with the family, traditional rulers, and youth leaders, the body was successfully retrieved and safely buried in Orokam, Ogbadibo LGA, by the State Safe Burial Team, in line with WHO and NCDC protocols.”

The commissioner further disclosed that he had ordered the immediate closure of the private hospital and mortuary where the corpse had been kept, pending full decontamination, disinfection, and epidemiological investigation.

He added that all hospital staff and close contacts of the deceased had been placed under medical surveillance, while health education campaigns have been launched in both LGAs to promote hygiene and reduce fear among residents.

Ogwuche commended community leaders for their cooperation and warned residents against handling corpses of persons suspected to have died from infectious diseases. He also advised the public to promptly report any cases of prolonged fever, unexplained bleeding, or sudden deaths to the nearest health facility.

Lassa fever remains a recurring public health challenge in Benue State. In September, the state epidemiologist, Dr. Asema Msuega, reported 243 suspected cases and 13 deaths between January and September 2025, including that of a health worker.