Dare Babalola
The Kwara State Government has announced that there have been no reported deaths from Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in the state, alleviating concerns about the safety of participants.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Saad Hamdalat, Press Secretary of the Ministry of Health, provided the clarification after the state’s Rapid Response Team conducted an investigation.
The statement revealed that the investigation was led by State Epidemiologist, Dr. Kamaldeen Khadeejah, following a social media post on Sunday, February 8, 2026, alleging a Lassa fever-related death of a corps member at the camp.
The government stated that field investigations and a retrospective active case search found no evidence of Lassa fever infection or transmission at the NYSC camp.
It added that no suspected or confirmed cases of viral haemorrhagic fever were recorded among corps members or camp officials.
Kamaldeen, however, noted that surveillance had been intensified as a precautionary measure.
“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.
She disclosed that the Rapid Response Team conducted supportive supervision at the camp clinic and reinforced infection prevention and control practices.
“Health workers and corps members were sensitised on the symptoms of Lassa fever, early reporting, and preventive measures,” she added.
The epidemiologist urged members of the public to disregard unverified social media reports and rely on information from official government sources.
Providing further clarification, the NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, said the corps member referenced in the social media post had a pre-existing chronic illness.
He explained that the camp management had invited the parent of the corps member, who took her to an external health facility on February 1, 2026, and she later died on February 7, 2026, outside the camp environment.
“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 emphasised the importance of proper environmental sanitation, the provision of sanitary dustbins, and discouraging bush burning around residential areas.
Similarly, the State Health Promotion Officer, Jubril Abdul Kareem, educated corps members on Lassa fever symptoms, including body pain, headache, restlessness, diarrhoea, vomiting, and sore throat.
He also highlighted preventive measures such as avoiding contact with rats and storing food in covered containers.
