A health worker infected with Lassa Fever has been confirmed dead in Kano.
The index case, a staff of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) at Unguwa Uku Primary Health Care (PHC) occured yesterday.
The health worker was said to have returned to Kano from France on 28th January 2026 via a direct flight and resumed work on the same day.
Subsequently, she developed symptoms including fever, headache, cough, and mild joint pain on February 6th, 2026.
The following day, she visited E-Health Clinic for medical attention, and she returned to the same clinic on 10th February 2026 for a follow-up visit due to persistent symptoms.
Then on 11th February 2026, she presented on self-referral to a private medical facility, Kano Medical Centre Clinic, with worsening symptoms, including fever, headache, cough with bleeding, difficulty breathing, and mild joint pain and later died on the same day.
SolaceBase findings revealed that following this development, the Kano State Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KNCDC) was notified for immediate public health action by Kano Medical Centre, KMC.
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It was gathered that the dead body was taken to AKTH mortuary, and clinical samples were collected and tested for Lassa fever, which the result returned positive
Similarly, the primary case is a medical officer working with the State Primary Health Care Management Board (SPHCMB) at Minjibir Primary HealthCare, PHC.
He also works with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) at Unguwa Uku PHC, where he had been working closely with the index case.
On 30th January 2026, he attended to a patient at Minjibir PHC who presented with symptoms suggestive of Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, including cough and nose bleeding.
‘’After hearing a public health awareness jingle on the radio by the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KNCDC), he became concerned about his possible exposure due to contact with suspected cases, ‘’SolaceBase was informed.
‘’As a precautionary measure, he collected his own sample and submitted it for testing at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) on 5th February 2026.
‘’The test result, released on 6th February 2026, was negative. However, due to ongoing concern and possible exposure, he collected another sample on 12th February 2026.
The second test result returned positive.
A credible source at the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention told SolaceBase that the centre was withholding information on the cases for almost a month for reasons best known to it.
Speaking to SolaceBase on the development on Monday, the Centre, Director General, Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, confirmed the cases.
Abbas said the delay in informing the public of the situation has to do with procedural measures that include the results of the test and informing NCDC.
According to him, apart from the MSF staff member who died, two others came down with the disease.
So we discovered a doctor from Minjibir who had earlier had an interface with her also came down with the infection, and also one other woman.
“The two people had an interface with 62 people within 5 local government areas in the state. Out of the 62, we thought 25 were at risk of being infected. We took blood sample of the 25 people, out of which 22 tested negative, while three tested positive. One is dead, two were in isolation (the woman is isolated in AKTH while the male (Doctor) from Minjibir is taken to Yargaya isolation centre).
“We have deployed our personnel to intensify public enlightenment in Minjibir to sensitize the people. Then, the Ministry of Environment will be invited in order to visit and furmigate the affected areas. All suspected areas must be fumigated to flush out rats, which are major carriers of this disease, to prevent the further spread,” Prof. Adamu, however stated.
(SOLACEBASE)