Benue records one confirmed Lassa fever case in one month, no death
Benue State in Nigeria has reported one confirmed case of Lassa fever in the past month with no associated deaths. Health officials are maintaining surveillance and public awareness campaigns to prevent a resurgence of the disease.
Why it matters
Effective disease surveillance is critical for public health management in regions where Lassa fever is endemic.
The Benue State Government has announced that one laboratory-confirmed case of Lassa fever was recorded in the state within the last month, with no deaths reported during the period. The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists in Makurdi on the state’s Lassa fever situation report covering Epidemiological Week 27, from June 28, 2026, to date. Ogwuche said that despite the decline in the peak transmission season, the Ministry of Health and Human Services has maintained intensive disease surveillance and rapid response activities across the state’s 23 local government areas to guard against any resurgence of the disease. He explained that Lassa fever remains endemic in Nigeria, making it necessary for the state to sustain early detection, laboratory testing, effective case management, infection prevention and control measures, as well as continuous public awareness campaigns.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in