Plateau confirms 11 Lassa fever cases, four deaths

Plateau State authorities have confirmed an outbreak of Lassa fever in seven local government areas, with 11 positive cases and four deaths recorded since December 2025.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed this during a press briefing on Saturday at the Ministry of Health in Jos, detailing the spread of the disease and measures being taken to contain it.

Baamlong said the first alert came on December 20, 2025, after a suspected case was reported in Quanpan Local Government Area, prompting the immediate activation of the state’s incident management team.

Initial investigations identified two confirmed cases, which led to extensive contact tracing. “We traced about 69 contacts and recorded 16 suspected cases, out of which five were confirmed positive,” he said. “From December till now, we have confirmed 11 cases in Plateau State.”

The outbreak has resulted in four deaths at major health facilities, including Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital. One of the victims was a medical practitioner who contracted the disease while treating an infected patient. Another doctor is currently receiving treatment.

Among those who died was Dr Salome Oboyi, a senior resident doctor at Bingham University Teaching Hospital, who reportedly fell ill after caring for a patient.

Baamlong said 109 contacts are under close monitoring as surveillance and response efforts intensify. Rapid response teams have also been deployed to affected communities to curb further spread.

The impacted local government areas are Quanpan, Shendam, Wase, Langtang South, Jos North, Jos South and Mangu.

The commissioner stressed the importance of public awareness and preventive practices, noting that the state has begun health education campaigns to reduce transmission.

He added that treatment drugs and personal protective equipment have been supplied to key health facilities, including Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau Specialist Hospital.

Residents were advised to maintain hygiene, avoid contact with rodents and seek prompt medical attention if symptoms appear, as authorities work to contain the outbreak.