…Agency Puts Emergency Operations Centre on Alert
…Surveillance Intensified at Borders, Airports, Transport Hubs
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) following fresh outbreaks reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
In a public health advisory issued on Sunday, the agency disclosed that a new dynamic risk assessment was conducted in response to the expanding Ebola outbreak in the affected countries, with the aim of strengthening preparedness and response measures across Nigeria.
According to the NCDC, the assessment revealed that the likelihood of Ebola entering Nigeria has increased due to ongoing transmission in neighbouring countries, growing international travel, population movements, and uncertainty surrounding the full extent of the outbreak.
The agency also warned that early detection of the disease could prove difficult because symptoms of Ebola often resemble those of common endemic illnesses in Nigeria such as malaria and Lassa fever, potentially leading to delayed identification of cases.
NCDC stated that the assessment identified high-risk states, border communities, major transport hubs and Points of Entry (PoEs) where surveillance and emergency preparedness activities have now been intensified.
“This assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to the ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and the potential for delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever,” the agency stated.
The public health agency explained that the identified locations remain critical for timely detection, isolation and response in the event of any imported Ebola case.
It added that coordination efforts have been strengthened through the National Incident Management System, while the National Emergency Operations Centre has been placed on alert mode to enhance rapid response capacity.
The NCDC, however, urged Nigerians to remain calm, maintain good hygiene practices and comply with all public health advisories aimed at preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
