The Kwara State Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming that a corps member died of Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in the state.
Grassroots Parrot reports thattThe clarification came on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, following an investigation by the state’s Rapid Response Team.
According to the statement, the probe was led by the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Kamaldeen Khadeejah, after a social media post on Sunday, February 8, 2026, alleged that a corps member had died from suspected Lassa fever at the camp.
The government said findings from field investigations and a retrospective active case search found no evidence of Lassa fever infection or transmission within the NYSC camp. It added that no suspected or confirmed cases of viral haemorrhagic fever were recorded among corps members or camp officials.
Kamaldeen noted, however, that surveillance had been intensified as a precaution.
“Although the current public health risk is considered low, surveillance activities have been strengthened at the camp to ensure early detection and prompt response to any suspected illness,” she said.
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She disclosed that the Rapid Response Team carried out supportive supervision at the camp clinic and reinforced infection prevention and control measures.
“Health workers and corps members were sensitised on the symptoms of Lassa fever, early reporting, and preventive practices,” she added.
The epidemiologist urged the public to disregard unverified social media claims and rely on official government sources for accurate information.
Providing further clarification, the NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, explained that the corps member mentioned in the social media post had a pre-existing chronic illness. He said camp management invited her parent, who took her to an external health facility on February 1, 2026.
According to him, the corps member later died on February 7, 2026, outside the camp.
“No laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever has been reported to the Rapid Response Team as of the time of the investigation. The investigation found no evidence of Lassa fever transmission within the NYSC camp, as there were no clusters of febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever among corps members,” Onifade said.
Also speaking, Environmental Health Officer Adamu Kabiru advised that sanitation and rodent control measures be strengthened to reduce public health risks. He stressed the importance of proper environmental sanitation, provision of sanitary waste bins, and discouraging bush burning around residential areas.
Similarly, the State Health Promotion Officer, Jubril Abdul Kareem, educated corps members on symptoms of Lassa fever, including body pain, headache, restlessness, diarrhoea, vomiting, and sore throat. He also highlighted preventive measures such as avoiding contact with rodents and storing food in covered containers.
