NCDC tightens Ebola surveillance, confirms no case in Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has stepped up surveillance on Ebola, affirming that no case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been recorded in the country.

The centre assured Nigerians that it would continue monitoring the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as well as cases in Uganda linked to cross-border transmission.

At the same time, the NCDC urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid misinformation, and adhere to preventive measures such as regular handwashing, steering clear of bodily fluids from sick persons, and avoiding bushmeat and dead animals.

Members of the public were also advised to promptly report any unusual illness to the nearest health facility and to rely solely on verified public health updates.

Healthcare workers, the centre added, should maintain a high index of suspicion for patients presenting with Ebola-compatible symptoms and relevant travel history.

In a public health advisory issued on Monday, NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris said health authorities in the DRC and Uganda have activated emergency response measures to contain the deadly virus.

Idris noted that the NCDC is working closely with stakeholders, including Port Health Services under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to strengthen surveillance and preparedness across Nigeria, particularly given increasing regional population movement.

He stressed that continuous monitoring of global and regional developments remains ongoing to prevent importation of the disease into the country.

The director-general said the agency is maintaining surveillance systems for Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases while reinforcing key response activities nationwide.

These measures, according to him, include intensified event-based surveillance, coordination with state health authorities, laboratory readiness, infection prevention and control awareness, risk communication, and ongoing monitoring of disease trends globally.

Idris also emphasised strict adherence to infection prevention and control protocols, including early isolation of suspected cases, proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and prompt reporting through established channels.

He assured that the NCDC would continue to monitor the situation closely and issue updates as necessary to safeguard public health.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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