No Lassa fever outbreak in Kwara – Official

According to her, the alleged deaths from Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in the state are false.

The Kwara State government on Tuesday said there is no recorded incident of Lassa Fever in the state.

The Press Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Hamdalat Sa’ad, in a statement, noted that the State Rapid Response Team (RRT) has debunked rumours circulating on social media.

According to her, the alleged deaths from Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp in the state are false.

“The clarification followed an immediate investigation led by the State Epidemiologist, Kamaldeen Khadeejah, after a social media post claiming that corps members had died from suspected Lassa fever at the camp,” she said.

“Findings from the field investigation and retrospective active case search revealed that no case of Lassa fever was identified among corps members and camp officials.”

Ms Sa’ad emphasised that though the current public health risk is considered low, the state had intensified surveillance at the camp to ensure early detection and prompt response to any suspected illness.

She explained that the response team conducted supportive supervision at the camp clinic and reinforced infection prevention and control practices.

“Health workers and corps members were sensitised on Lassa fever symptoms, early reporting, and prevention strategies,” she said.

She urged members of the public to disregard unverified social media reports, remain calm, and rely on information from official government sources.

Also speaking on the development, the NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, confirmed that the corps member referenced in the social media post was ill and diagnosed with a pre-existing chronic illness.

According to him, the camp management invited her parents who took her out to an external health facility, where the individual was later reported to have died.

“No laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever has been reported to the RRT as of the time of the investigation,” Mr Onifade said.

“The investigation found no evidence of Lassa fever transmission within the NYSC camp and there are no clusters of febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever among corps members.”

Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) showed that Nigeria has recorded a rise in Lassa fever activity within the first three weeks of 2026.

The health agency reported 405 suspected Lassa Fever cases, with 39 confirmed and 17 deaths.

Confirmed cases were reported in Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue and Nasarawa states. (NAN)