Nigeria on High Ebola Alert as NCDC Activates Emergency Response Nationwide
Hussaini Ibrahim 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has activated nationwide emergency surveillance systems and placed health authorities on high alert following the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) warned at the weekend that the risk of Ebola Virus Disease importation into Nigeria remains high due to increased regional transmission, cross-border movement and international travel.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, disclosed the development in an emergency preparedness update issued on Sunday.
According to the agency, porous borders, delayed symptom recognition and frequent population movement across African countries continue to heighten Nigeria’s vulnerability.
“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,” the statement said.
“NCDC is intensifying event-based surveillance and epidemic intelligence activities across the country,” the agency added.
According to the NCDC, Nigeria’s laboratory network remains fully activated, with testing capabilities already available in states hosting international points of entry.
“NCDC has developed and disseminated Ebola myths and facts materials to address misinformation and false claims circulating online,” the statement added
The Lagos State Government said it had intensified airport screening, disease surveillance and emergency response coordination following reports that at least 177 deaths had already been linked to suspected Ebola cases in Central and East Africa.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, confirmed that no suspected or confirmed Ebola case had been detected in Lagos.
“We are closely monitoring the evolving Ebola outbreak situation in Central and East Africa… we have not seen any cases resembling Ebola in Lagos to date,” Abayomi said.
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Oluwafunbi Bello 
