RismadarVoice Reporters, February 11, 2026
Kwara State Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media alleging that a corps member died of Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in the state.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Saad Hamdalat, following an investigation conducted 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, claimed 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 showed 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.
“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,” Kamaldeen said.
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 also sensitized on symptoms, early reporting procedures and preventive practices.
Providing further clarification, the NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, said the corps member referenced in the social media report had a pre-existing chronic illness.
He explained that camp management contacted the corps member’s parent, who took her to an external health facility on February 1, 2026.
The corps member later died on February 7 outside the camp.
“No laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever has been reported to the Rapid Response Team as of the time of the investigation,” Onifade said, adding that there were no clusters of febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever within the camp.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Health Officer, Adamu Kabiru, advised the strengthening of sanitation and rodent control measures to reduce public health risks.
He stressed the need for proper waste disposal, provision of sanitary dustbins and discouragement of bush burning around residential areas.
The State Health Promotion Officer, Jubril Abdul Kareem, also educated corps members on symptoms of Lassa fever including body pain, headache, diarrhoea, vomiting and sore throat and emphasized preventive measures such as avoiding contact with rodents and storing food in covered containers.
