According to the Kwara government, there have been no documented cases of Lassa fever in the state.
In a statement released in Ilorin on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health’s press secretary, Mrs. Hamdalat Sa’ad, stated that the State Rapid Response Team (RRT) had refuted rumors that were making the rounds on social media.
She claims that there is no evidence of Lassa Fever-related mortality at the state’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp.
Following a social media post indicating that corps members had perished at the camp from probable Lassa fever, the clarification came following an expeditious inquiry headed by Dr. Kamaldeen Khadeejah, the State Epidemiologist.
“No case of Lassa fever was identified among corps members and camp officials, according to findings from the field investigation and retrospective active case search,” she stated.
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Although the public health risk is now deemed low, Sa’ad, who cited Kamaldeen, emphasized that the state has increased surveillance at the camp to guarantee early diagnosis and rapid response to any suspected sickness.
She clarified that the response team tightened infection prevention and control procedures and carried out supporting supervision at the camp clinic.
Health professionals and corps members received education on the signs and symptoms of Lassa fever, how to report cases early, and preventative measures, she said.
She advised the public to maintain composure, trust official government sources, and ignore unconfirmed social media rumors.
Speaking about the development as well, Mr. Olaoluwa Onifade, the NYSC State Coordinator, verified that the corps member mentioned in the social media post was sick and had been diagnosed with a chronic ailment.
He claims that after being welcomed by the camp administration, her parents transported her to an outside medical institution, where it was later announced that she had passed away.
As of the investigation’s start, the RRT had not received any reports of laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever.
“There was no indication of Lassa fever transmission in the NYSC camp, according to the investigation.
“Among corps members, there are no clusters of febrile illness or symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever,” Onifade stated.
According to data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), during the first three weeks of 2026, Lassa fever activity increased in Nigeria.
According to the health agency, there have been 17 fatalities and 39 confirmed cases of Lassa fever out of 405 suspected cases.
The states of Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Benue, and Nasarawa all reported confirmed cases. (NAN)
