The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that Nigeria is currently free of confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases, while urging continued vigilance amid recent outbreaks in parts of Central Africa.
In a public health advisory issued on Sunday, NCDC Director-General Jide Idris said: “Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease.”
The statement comes in response to renewed Ebola activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a recently confirmed case in Uganda.
The agency noted that it is working closely with key partners, including the Port Health Services (Nigeria), to strengthen surveillance at points of entry and maintain national preparedness. It added that public health systems remain on alert and are actively monitoring developments across the region.
The NCDC also urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation. It advised Nigerians to maintain basic preventive measures such as regular hand hygiene and avoiding direct contact with the bodily fluids of individuals who are ill.
Healthcare workers, the agency said, should maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola Virus Disease when treating patients with compatible symptoms, particularly where there is relevant travel history or known exposure.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has declared a public health emergency of international concern over an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the virus has caused more than 80 deaths and hundreds of suspected infections.
The outbreak has intensified concerns after a laboratory confirmed a case in the city of Goma, a major urban centre in eastern Congo reportedly affected by ongoing conflict involving the M23 militia. The patient was identified as the wife of a man who died from Ebola in Bunia and had travelled while potentially infected, according to Congolese health officials.
Data from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention indicate at least 88 deaths and 336 suspected cases linked to the outbreak.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern over the escalating situation, stating that the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern under International Health Regulations, though it has not reached pandemic status.
