The Plateau State Government has confirmed an outbreak of Lassa fever in the state, with 11 positive cases and four deaths recorded across seven local government areas since December 2025.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Ministry of Health in Jos, where he provided an update on the situation and the state’s response measures.
According to him, the outbreak was first detected on December 20, 2025, following a reported case from Quanpan Local Government Area, which prompted the immediate activation of the state’s Incident Management Team.
“We were first alerted on December 20, 2025, after a case was reported from Quanpan Local Government Area, and we immediately activated our incident management team,” Baamlong said.
He explained that initial investigations confirmed two cases, leading to extensive contact tracing and surveillance across affected communities.
The commissioner said the state has recorded a total of 28 suspected cases so far, with 11 confirmed positive for Lassa fever.
“At that time, we traced about 69 contacts, from which we recorded 16 suspected cases and five confirmed positives. This means that from December till now, we have confirmed a total of 11 positive cases in Plateau State,” he stated.
Baamlong disclosed that four deaths have been recorded as a result of the outbreak, including the death of a health worker.
“Sadly, we have recorded four deaths — two at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, one at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, and one at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital. One of the deaths is a medical practitioner who attended to an infected patient. As of today, another medical doctor is also on admission and receiving treatment,” he said.
He added that 109 contacts are currently being monitored, as health authorities intensify surveillance and response efforts.
The affected local government areas include Quanpan, Shendam, Wase, Langtang South, Jos North, Jos South, and Mangu.
The commissioner said the state government has intensified active case searches and deployed rapid response teams to affected areas to contain the spread of the disease.
“We are continuing active case search through surveillance and deploying our rapid response teams to affected communities,” he said.
Baamlong stressed that public health enlightenment remains critical in curbing the transmission of Lassa fever, noting that awareness campaigns are being intensified across the state.
“We are commencing active public health enlightenment, which is very key in addressing and suppressing the transmission of this disease,” he said.
He also assured residents of the availability of treatment and protective materials, stating that essential drugs and personal protective equipment have been distributed to health facilities.
“The drugs required for treatment, including personal protective equipment, are available at the Jos University Teaching Hospital and the Plateau Specialist Hospital,” Baamlong said.
The commissioner urged residents to adhere strictly to preventive measures and to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms associated with Lassa fever, stressing that collective responsibility is vital to containing the outbreak.