Ebola warning issued: Nigeria's disease control agency cites heightened danger of virus entry, launches nationwide crisis protocol

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By Joseph Erunke

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention,NCDC, has placed the country on heightened Ebola alert, warning that Nigeria faces a high risk of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD importation amid the worsening outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo ,DRC,and Uganda.

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Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this in an emergency preparedness update issued on Saturday, revealing that although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case linked to the ongoing regional outbreak, authorities have activated nationwide surveillance and response mechanisms to prevent a possible outbreak.

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The agency said its latest dynamic risk assessment identified international travel, population movement, porous borders, and delayed symptom recognition as major factors increasing Nigeria’s vulnerability.

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“The assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and possible delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with malaria and Lassa fever,” the statement said.

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The NCDC noted that high-risk states, border communities, transport hubs and Points of Entry had already been identified for intensified monitoring.

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In response to the growing threat, the agency announced that the National Emergency Operations Centre ,EOC, had been placed on alert mode, while the National Incident Management System,IMS, had been activated to coordinate rapid national response efforts.

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Rapid Response Teams and epidemiologists across the country have also been placed on standby for immediate deployment to any state where a suspected case may emerge.

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The agency said surveillance activities had been strengthened nationwide, especially at airports, border communities and health facilities, with officials monitoring alerts, rumours and unusual disease patterns to ensure early detection.

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“NCDC is intensifying event-based surveillance and epidemic intelligence activities across the country,” the statement added.

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To forestall healthcare-associated transmission, the agency said Ebola Infection Prevention and Control ,IPC readiness tools and checklists had been distributed to hospitals nationwide, while healthcare workers were undergoing refresher sensitisation on triage systems, case identification and protective protocols.

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States have also been directed to designate isolation and treatment centres, assess bed capacity, strengthen ambulance and referral systems, and stock essential emergency supplies.

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The NCDC further disclosed that Nigeria’s laboratory network had been placed on alert, with testing capability already available in states hosting international Points of Entry.

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Critical Ebola response commodities including Personal Protective Equipment,PPE, laboratory consumables, body bags and IPC materials are also being strategically prepositioned across the country.

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Amid growing fears and misinformation on social media, the agency said it had intensified risk communication campaigns and launched aggressive rumour management initiatives to combat false claims surrounding the disease.

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“NCDC has developed and disseminated Ebola Myths and Facts materials to address misinformation and false claims circulating online,” the agency stated.

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The public was urged to maintain regular hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with body fluids of sick persons, promptly report unexplained illnesses or deaths, and avoid spreading unverified information.

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Travellers arriving from countries with confirmed Ebola cases were advised to monitor their health for 21 days and immediately report symptoms such as fever, weakness, vomiting or unexplained bleeding.

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Healthcare workers were equally warned to maintain a high index of suspicion and strictly comply with infection prevention protocols, including proper use of PPE and immediate isolation of suspected cases.

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Reassuring Nigerians, the NCDC emphasized that Ebola is not airborne and that the country currently has no confirmed case linked to the regional outbreak.

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“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary,” Dr. Idris stated.

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Recall that Nigeria earned global commendation in 2014 for successfully containing Ebola after the virus was imported into the country through an infected traveller from Liberia.

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