The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has placed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory and several other states on high Ebola alert following the outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a public health advisory issued to commissioners for health nationwide, the NCDC warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the virus due to increased international travel, porous borders and population movement.
States classified as high-risk include Lagos, the FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba and Adamawa because of their airports, seaports and border routes.
Although no confirmed case has been recorded in Nigeria, the agency said over 1,000 suspected cases and 247 deaths had already been reported in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The NCDC noted that the Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine or targeted treatment, warning health workers to remain vigilant as symptoms may resemble malaria or Lassa fever.
The agency said its National Emergency Operations Centre had been activated in alert mode, while state governments were directed to strengthen surveillance, prepare isolation centres and intensify public sensitisation campaigns.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government assured residents that no Ebola case had been detected in the state. Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said Lagos’ biosecurity and emergency response systems remained fully active and prepared to contain any outbreak.
