Ebola: Ogun Tracks 111 Travellers as FAAN Tightens Airport Surveillance

The Ogun State Government has stepped up surveillance and emergency preparedness, while the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has intensified health monitoring across airport operations following the confirmation of an Ebola Virus Disease case in the Federal Capital Territory.

Ogun said it had identified and monitored 111 persons of interest linked to travel from high-risk countries, while assuring residents that no Ebola case had been recorded in the state as of October 21, 2026.

The parallel measures by the state government and FAAN underscore growing efforts to strengthen surveillance, improve early detection and prevent the spread of the potentially deadly disease following the reported case in Abuja.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed the state’s response in a statement on Wednesday, saying the government had been on heightened alert since Ebola was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in March 2026.

According to her, the 111 persons identified for monitoring had completed the required surveillance period and were subsequently discharged from follow-up.

Coker said the state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparedness and response activities to ensure the prompt identification, reporting and management of suspected cases.

She added that the government had strengthened the capacity of Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, port health officers, health educators, clinicians and community informants through training on appropriate response procedures.

Relevant national guidelines and protocols had also been adapted and deployed, while public sensitisation and infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities were being intensified.

The commissioner urged residents to remain vigilant, observe preventive measures and avoid panic or spreading unverified information.

She explained that Ebola is a serious viral disease capable of causing severe illness and death, with early symptoms that may resemble those of other common illnesses.

The symptoms include fever, severe weakness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may also occur in some cases.

According to Coker, symptoms can develop between two and 21 days after exposure. However, she cautioned that experiencing these symptoms does not automatically mean a person has Ebola, stressing the importance of prompt professional medical assessment, particularly where there has been possible exposure or travel to a high-risk area.

She said the virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, the body of someone who has died from the disease, or materials contaminated with such fluids.

Meanwhile, FAAN said it had heightened health surveillance across airport operations in response to the confirmed case in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the authority said it was working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Port Health Services, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant agencies to support ongoing containment efforts.

FAAN noted that the early identification of the case and the commencement of contact tracing highlighted the importance of effective surveillance, established public health protocols and inter-agency collaboration in responding to potential health threats.

The authority said it would maintain heightened vigilance across airport operations and continue to coordinate with public health authorities to implement additional guidance and measures considered necessary to protect passengers, airport personnel and the wider public.

It also urged passengers, airport users, airlines and other stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials.

Both the Ogun government and FAAN advised the public to rely on verified information from official health authorities and avoid circulating unconfirmed reports.

The developments highlight the importance of coordinated surveillance, timely reporting and public cooperation in containing potential outbreaks, particularly at points of entry and in communities with links to international travel.