The Kwara State Government has refuted claims circulating on social media alleging that a corps member died of Lassa fever at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in the state.
The clarification was issued on Tuesday in a statement by the Ministry of Health’s Press Secretary, Saad Hamdalat, after an investigation by the state’s Rapid Response Team.
According to the statement, the probe was led by the State Epidemiologist, Dr Kamaldeen Khadeejah, following a social media post on Sunday, February 8, 2026, which alleged that a corps member had died from suspected Lassa fever at the camp.
The government said results from field investigations and a retrospective active case search showed no evidence of Lassa fever infection or spread within 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 heightened as a preventive 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 carried out supportive supervision at the camp clinic and reinforced infection prevention and control measures.
“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 ignore unverified social media reports and depend on information from official government sources.
Providing further explanation, the NYSC State Coordinator, Olaoluwa Onifade, said the corps member mentioned in the social media post had a pre-existing chronic illness.
He explained that the camp management invited the parent of the corps member, who took her to an external health facility on February 1, 2026.
According to him, the corps member 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 intensified to reduce public health risks.
He stressed 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.
