The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has placed the country on heightened Ebola alert, warning that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the Ebola Virus Disease amid worsening outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, said although no confirmed Ebola case had been recorded in Nigeria, the agency had activated nationwide surveillance and emergency response measures to prevent a possible outbreak.
According to the agency, international travel, population movement, porous borders and delayed symptom recognition remain key factors increasing Nigeria’s vulnerability.
“The assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and possible delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with malaria and Lassa fever,” the statement read.
The NCDC said high-risk states, border communities, transport hubs and points of entry had been placed under intensified monitoring, while the National Emergency Operations Centre and National Incident Management System had been activated for rapid response coordination.
Rapid Response Teams and epidemiologists nationwide have also been placed on standby for immediate deployment if any suspected case emerges.
The agency added that surveillance had been strengthened at airports, border communities and health facilities, while hospitals across the country had received Ebola infection prevention and control tools and refresher training for healthcare workers.
States were also directed to designate isolation and treatment centres, strengthen ambulance and referral systems, and stock emergency supplies.
The NCDC said laboratory testing capacity had already been activated in states with international points of entry, while critical response materials, including Personal Protective Equipment and laboratory consumables, were being strategically prepositioned nationwide.
Amid concerns over misinformation, the agency urged Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with body fluids, promptly report unexplained illnesses or deaths, and avoid spreading unverified information.
Travellers arriving from countries with confirmed Ebola cases were advised to monitor symptoms for 21 days and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as fever, vomiting, weakness or unexplained bleeding develop.
The agency reassured Nigerians that Ebola is not airborne and that no confirmed case linked to the regional outbreak had been detected in the country.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government said it had intensified surveillance and border screening following the outbreak in Central and East Africa, where at least 177 deaths have been recorded from about 700 suspected cases.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said no suspected or confirmed Ebola case had been recorded in the state.
He said Lagos had activated its biosecurity response framework, with the Emergency Operations Centre operating round-the-clock and surveillance officers monitoring disease signals across communities.
Abayomi added that the Lagos State Infectious Disease Hospital remained fully prepared with isolation wards and intensive care facilities, while screening had been intensified for flights arriving from East and Central Africa.
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