The Plateau State Government has confirmed an outbreak of Lassa fever, 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 updates on the outbreak and the state’s ongoing response efforts.
According to Dr. Baamlong, the outbreak was first detected on December 20, 2025, following a reported case from Quanpan Local Government Area, which led to 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,” he said.
He explained that initial investigations confirmed two cases, prompting extensive contact tracing and heightened surveillance in affected communities. So far, the state has recorded 28 suspected cases, 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,” Baamlong stated.
The commissioner revealed that four deaths have been recorded, 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.
Dr. Baamlong added that 109 contacts are currently being monitored as surveillance and response activities are intensified. The affected local government areas include Quanpan, Shendam, Wase, Langtang South, Jos North, Jos South, and Mangu.
He noted that the state government has stepped up active case searches and deployed rapid response teams 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.
The commissioner emphasized that public health enlightenment remains critical in curbing transmission, adding that awareness campaigns are being intensified statewide.
“We are commencing active public health enlightenment, which is very key in addressing and suppressing the transmission of this disease,” he said.
He further assured residents of the availability of treatment and protective materials, noting 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 stated.
Dr. Baamlong urged residents to strictly observe preventive measures and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms associated with Lassa fever, stressing that collective responsibility is crucial to containing the outbreak.