The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has assured Nigerians that no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease has been detected in the country.
In a statement issued on Sunday, May 17, the Director-General of the agency, Jide Idris, said the agency was closely monitoring the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the recently confirmed imported case in Uganda.
The NCDC stated that health authorities in both countries had already activated emergency response measures, including intensified surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, infection prevention and public awareness campaigns.
According to the agency, Nigeria has also strengthened its preparedness efforts due to increasing movement across African borders.
“Due to increasing regional movement across countries, NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Service under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” the statement read.
The World Health Organization had earlier warned that the Bundibugyo strain differs from the more common Ebola-Zaire variant because there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments specifically developed for it.
The Daily Crucible reports that a fresh outbreak of the Ebola virus had been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with at least 65 deaths recorded so far, according to African health authorities.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had on Friday disclosed that 246 suspected cases had been identified in DRC, including four fatalities among laboratory-confirmed patients.
Health officials said the outbreak was detected in Ituri Province, located in the eastern part of the country.
In Nigeria, however, the NCDC urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading misinformation and maintain proper hygiene practices, especially regular handwashing. It also advised residents to avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons, dead animals and bushmeat from unknown sources.
Healthcare workers were further advised to maintain a high level of vigilance for patients showing symptoms linked to Ebola, particularly those with relevant travel history, while strictly observing infection prevention and control measures.
The agency also encouraged Nigerians to promptly report unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility and rely only on information from official public health authorities.
