Quick Summary:
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) places Kano, FCT, Lagos, and seven other states on high alert following the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Kano, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, and seven other states on high alert following the rising outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a nationwide advisory issued on Thursday, the agency warned that Nigeria remains vulnerable to possible importation of the virus due to increased international travel, cross-border movement, and porous borders.
High-Risk And Moderate-Risk States
According to the NCDC, the high-risk states include Rivers, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa, in addition to Kano, Lagos, and the FCT.
Other states such as Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, and Plateau were classified as moderate risk.
The alert followed the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
No Case Confirmed In Nigeria
The NCDC clarified that no case has been confirmed in Nigeria, but urged all states to strengthen surveillance and emergency preparedness measures immediately.
The agency reported that the outbreak in Uganda and the DRC has so far recorded over 1,000 suspected infections and 247 deaths, with young and middle-aged persons most affected.
No Vaccine For Bundibugyo Strain
The NCDC noted that there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, unlike other variants, making early detection and rapid containment essential.
The disease spreads through direct contact with infected body fluids, contaminated materials, or infected animals, and not through the air.
Common symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, and unexplained bleeding.
Emergency Operations Centre On Alert
The agency confirmed that its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) has been placed on alert mode, directing all states to submit readiness reports within 72 hours and immediately report any suspected cases.
Health authorities across the country have been urged to intensify border screening, train health workers, and activate isolation and treatment facilities as precautionary measures.