The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed the country on heightened alert over the risk of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) entering Nigeria amid rising infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
In an emergency preparedness update released over the weekend, NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, said no confirmed Ebola case linked to the regional outbreak had been detected in Nigeria. However, he noted that nationwide preventive measures had already been activated to guard against a possible outbreak.
The agency explained that increasing cases in the DRC and Uganda, alongside growing international travel and cross-border movement, had heightened Nigeria’s vulnerability. According to the NCDC, delayed identification of symptoms often mistaken for illnesses such as Lassa fever or malaria also increases the country’s risk exposure.
To strengthen preparedness, the agency said the National Emergency Operations Centre had been placed on alert, while the National Incident Management System was activated to coordinate a rapid national response if needed. Surveillance activities have also been intensified at airports, border communities, transport hubs and health facilities to improve early detection of suspected infections.
Rapid Response Teams and epidemiologists across the country have reportedly been placed on standby for immediate deployment, while hospitals have received infection prevention tools and refresher training on Ebola case identification, triage and safety procedures.
The NCDC further stated that states had been instructed to designate isolation and treatment facilities, review emergency bed capacity, strengthen ambulance and referral systems, and ensure adequate medical supplies. Laboratories across the country, especially those near international entry points, have also been placed on alert for rapid testing.
As part of public awareness efforts, the agency said it had launched campaigns to counter misinformation and educate Nigerians on Ebola prevention, urging citizens to maintain hand hygiene, avoid contact with body fluids of sick persons and report unusual illnesses promptly.
The agency reassured Nigerians that Ebola is not airborne and stressed that no confirmed case has been recorded in the country.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government said it had heightened disease surveillance following reports of over 177 deaths linked to nearly 700 suspected Ebola cases in parts of Central and East Africa.
Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, stated that no Ebola case had been detected in the state, adding that authorities had activated an emergency response framework strengthened after the country’s 2014 Ebola experience.
He disclosed that surveillance teams, emergency response systems and laboratory facilities remained on standby, while health screening had been intensified for flights arriving from affected regions, alongside stronger monitoring at seaports and land borders.
Residents experiencing symptoms after contact with travellers from affected areas were advised to seek immediate medical attention and contact emergency health lines.