WHO Declares Ebola Emergency as Nigeria Activates Nationwide Monitoring

Ebola

WHO Declares Ebola Emergency as Nigeria Activates Nationwide Monitoring

The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has intensified nationwide surveillance and emergency preparedness measures following the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighbouring Uganda.

The development comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC), raising fears of wider regional spread across Africa.

According to the WHO, the outbreak has already resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected infections, particularly in eastern DRC’s Ituri Province, where health authorities are battling the rare and dangerous Bundibugyo strain of the virus.

The strain is considered especially concerning because there is currently no approved vaccine or targeted treatment for it.

Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case, the NCDC said it is proactively strengthening monitoring systems at airports, land borders, seaports, and health facilities across the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said the agency was working closely with the Port Health Services and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to prevent any possible importation of the virus into Nigeria.

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“NCDC is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and preparedness within the public health system,” Idris stated.

The agency disclosed that it has increased laboratory readiness, intensified disease surveillance, improved infection prevention measures, and expanded public awareness campaigns nationwide.

Health workers across Nigeria have also been placed on alert and advised to maintain a high level of suspicion for patients showing symptoms linked to Ebola virus infection, especially those with recent travel history to affected countries.

The WHO confirmed that the outbreak, which started in the DRC, has now spread beyond the country’s borders, with Uganda recording imported laboratory-confirmed cases.

Ugandan authorities revealed that a 59-year-old man who recently travelled from Congo tested positive for the virus before later dying from complications linked to the disease.

The UN health agency said the outbreak currently affects several areas, including Bunia, Mongbwalu, and Rwampara in the DRC, while one confirmed case has also been detected in Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.

Health officials fear the disease could spread further because the affected regions are major commercial and migration corridors connecting neighbouring countries.

The WHO warned that insecurity, population displacement, illegal mining activities, and weak healthcare systems in eastern Congo may complicate containment efforts.

Medical experts say the Bundibugyo strain differs from the more common Zaire strain responsible for previous major Ebola outbreaks in West Africa.

Unlike the Zaire strain, which now has approved vaccines and treatment options, scientists are still researching effective vaccines and therapies for the Bundibugyo variant.

The WHO said early symptoms of Ebola Virus Disease include fever, severe weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat.

As the illness progresses, patients may experience vomiting, diarrhoea, skin rash, internal bleeding, and organ failure.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, contaminated materials, or infected animals.

Nigeria’s renewed preparedness is partly influenced by its experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when the country successfully prevented a major public health disaster after an infected Liberian-American traveller, Patrick Sawyer, arrived in Lagos.

Through aggressive contact tracing, rapid isolation, emergency response coordination, and public sensitisation, Nigeria was able to contain the virus within months.

The successful response earned global praise from the WHO and public health experts worldwide.

The NCDC urged Nigerians not to panic but to remain vigilant and practice proper hygiene measures.

Citizens were advised to wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with sick individuals or bodily fluids, and promptly report unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility.

The agency also warned against spreading false information capable of causing public panic.

“NCDC will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, the WHO clarified that although the outbreak represents a serious international health concern, it has not yet met the threshold required for classification as a global pandemic.

The organisation also advised countries against imposing travel bans or border closures, insisting that coordinated surveillance, rapid testing, and effective public health response remain the best containment strategies.