The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has intensified surveillance at the country’s points of entry, including airports following the confirmation of an Ebola Virus Disease -EVD outbreak in Uganda.
The agency also advised Nigerians to avoid non-essential travel to affected countries. In a public health advisory issued by the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, the agency emphasised that there are currently no reported cases of Ebola in Nigeria.
Idris said that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with relevant ministries, departments, agencies, and partners through the National Emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Diseases Technical Working Group, continues the efforts, including the update of the EVD emergency contingency plan, heightened surveillance especially at the points of entry, and optimising diagnostic capacity for EVD testing in designated laboratories in cities with international airports of entry and the National Reference Laboratory.
Reports say that on January 30, 2025, Uganda confirmed an Ebola case caused by the Sudan virus species in Wakiso, Mukono, and Mbale City in Mbale District. So far, only one case has been recorded, resulting in one fatality, noting that authorities are monitoring 44 identified contacts.
The NCDC noted that Uganda has significant experience in responding to Ebola outbreaks and has initiated necessary containment measures. According to reports, Ebola virus disease, formerly known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, is a severe and often fatal illness with a mortality rate ranging from 25% to 90%.