The Benue State Government has ordered the immediate closure of a private hospital and mortuary in Okpokwu Local Government Area following the death of a 54-year-old woman who tested positive for Lassa fever.
Commissioner for Health and Human Resources, Dr Paul Ogwuche, disclosed this on Thursday in Makurdi, saying the action formed part of emergency containment measures aimed at halting possible secondary infections and ensuring thorough decontamination of the affected facilities.
According to him, all medical staff and individuals who had direct or indirect contact with the deceased have been traced and placed under strict medical observation.
Ogwuche explained that the victim, who was a resident of Ogbadibo Local Government Area, had died last Sunday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where laboratory tests confirmed she was positive for Lassa fever.
Her remains were later deposited at a private morgue in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu LGA, before the state’s Rapid Response Team intervened.
However, the commissioner said the containment team faced resistance when some angry youths from the deceased’s community forcefully retrieved the corpse during burial preparations.
“As part of our initial response efforts, I personally led a high-powered delegation of health officials and security personnel to both local governments to restore order and ensure public safety,” Ogwuche stated.
He continued, “Our Rapid Response Team was attacked by some agitated youths while attempting to conduct a safe burial. After engaging the family, traditional rulers, and youth leaders in intensive dialogue, we succeeded in retrieving the corpse, which was safely buried in Orokam, Ogbadibo LGA, in accordance with WHO and NCDC protocols.”
The commissioner confirmed that the private hospital and mortuary had since been sealed off pending full decontamination and epidemiological investigations.
“All community and facility contacts have been identified. We have also carried out health education sessions across Ogbadibo and Okpokwu to sensitise residents, promote hygiene, and prevent panic,” he said.
Ogwuche praised the cooperation of local council chairmen, traditional leaders, and security agencies in containing the situation, warning that government would not condone actions that jeopardise public health.
He appealed to residents to desist from handling corpses of individuals who die of suspected infectious diseases and to report any case of persistent fever or unexplained bleeding to the nearest health facility.
Lassa fever remains a recurring public health concern in Benue State.
In September, the State Epidemiologist, Dr Asema Msuega, reported 243 suspected cases of the disease since January 2025, with 13 deaths recorded, including that of a health worker. Eighteen of those cases were confirmed through laboratory testing.
Msuega had explained that five of the deaths were confirmed Lassa fever cases, while eight others were classified as probable, representing victims who died before their samples could be tested.
