Kwara dispels lassa fever scare at NYSC camp, confirms no outbreak

The Kwara State Government has dismissed rumours circulating on social media about alleged deaths from Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, assuring the public that no outbreak has been recorded in the facility.

The clarification followed an immediate investigation by the Kwara State Rapid Response Team (RRT), led by the State Epidemiologist, Dr. Kamaldeen Khadeejah, after a viral social media post on Sunday, February 8, 2026, claimed that a corps member had died from suspected Lassa fever at the camp.

According to findings from a field investigation and retrospective active case search, no case of Lassa fever was identified among corps members or camp officials. Dr. Khadeejah noted that while the current public health risk remains low, the state has intensified disease surveillance at the camp to ensure early detection and prompt response to any suspected illness.

As part of precautionary measures, the RRT carried out supportive supervision at the camp clinic, strengthened infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, and sensitized health workers and corps members on the symptoms, early reporting, and prevention of Lassa fever.

Dr. Khadeejah urged residents to disregard unverified reports on social media, remain calm, and rely only on information from official government sources.

Corroborating the findings, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mr. Olaoluwa Onifade, explained that the corps member mentioned in the social media post was ill due to a pre-existing chronic condition. He said the camp management had contacted the corps member’s parent, who took her to an external health facility on February 1, 2026, where she later died on February 7, 2026.

“There has been no laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever reported to the Rapid Response Team as at the time of the investigation,” Onifade stated. “Our findings also show no evidence of Lassa fever transmission within the NYSC camp, with no clusters of febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of the disease among corps members.”

Meanwhile, an Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Adamu Kabiru, advised on the need to strengthen sanitation and rodent control measures within and around residential areas. He emphasized proper environmental sanitation, provision of sanitary waste bins, and discouragement of bush burning.

In the same vein, the State Health Promotion Officer, Mr. Jubril Abdul Kareem, educated corps members on common symptoms of Lassa fever, including body pain, headache, restlessness, diarrhoea, vomiting, and sore throat. He also highlighted preventive measures such as avoiding contact with rats, not consuming food contaminated by rodents, blocking holes in homes, and storing food in covered containers.

The Kwara State Government reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public health and maintaining vigilance against infectious disease threats across the state.

The Informant247 had on Tuesday, February 3, reported that the Benue State Government had declared an outbreak of Lassa fever following a steady rise in suspected and confirmed cases across the state, with 56 suspected infections and three confirmed deaths recorded so far.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, made the declaration on Tuesday while speaking with journalists in Makurdi, noting that the worsening situation had necessitated urgent public health intervention to curb further spread of the disease.

According to him, epidemiological data from the ministry indicate that out of the 56 suspected cases, eight have been laboratory confirmed. Three deaths have occurred among confirmed cases, while one additional probable death is currently under investigation, reflecting what he described as a troublingly high case fatality rate.

Dr Ogwuche disclosed that the outbreak has also affected frontline healthcare workers, with four professionals — three nurses and one community health worker — already infected. He also paid tribute to a Benue-born medical doctor who recently died of Lassa fever while serving in Jos, Plateau State, describing the loss as a painful reminder of the risks health workers face daily.