The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says the country faces a high risk of an Ebola outbreak due to ongoing transmission of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, as well as increased cross-border movement and international travel. The concerns were raised in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director General, Jide Idris.
The agency said its latest assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high because of the uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak and the potential for delayed recognition as symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever. Although no case has been confirmed in Nigeria, the NCDC said it has intensified preparedness measures amid growing concerns over regional spread.
The NCDC said it has identified states considered vulnerable because of their proximity to borders, busy transport routes and international entry points. The agency noted that Nigeria retains critical response capacity built from previous outbreaks, including trained rapid response teams, emergency operations centres and laboratory systems capable of handling viral haemorrhagic diseases.
Also Read: WHO raises Ebola risk level in DR Congo to very high
The NCDC said its national emergency operations centre has been placed on alert mode, while the incident management system has also been activated to strengthen coordination and response mechanisms in the event of an outbreak. The agency also said it has stepped up public communication efforts to counter misinformation and false claims surrounding the disease.
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