The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, and Prevention has identified and followed up 53 contacts linked to the country’s confirmed Ebola case, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to prevent further transmission and Lagos State strengthens its surveillance and emergency preparedness.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris at a media conference in Abuja on Sunday, disclosed that the 42-year-old female patient had improved remarkably and was receiving medical care under isolation.
Nigeria confirmed the case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus on October 20, following laboratory testing by the NCDC National Reference Laboratory.
In the agency’s Ebola Disease Situation Report dated October 24, the patient returned to Nigeria from Uganda through Addis Ababa on October 3. She developed fever, diarrhoea, generalised body aches and a sore throat on October 7.
She visited a private health facility on October 10 and was admitted to another private facility the following day. The NCDC was notified on October 19, prompting an investigation and the collection of samples for laboratory testing.
The 53 contacts identified include healthcare workers, domestic staff and the patient’s spouse, while public health teams continue to trace and monitor people who might have been exposed.
Idris said contacts would be monitored for 21 days after their last possible exposure, in line with public health protocols.
He urged anyone contacted by public health officials to cooperate with monitoring teams and provide accurate information about their movements, contacts and any symptoms they might have experienced.
“Being identified as a contact does not mean that you have Ebola,” he said, explaining that the exercise was intended to monitor people’s health and identify possible infections early.
The NCDC report also recorded a suspected Ebola case reported by Rivers State on October 23, which tested negative for the disease.
Federal Government strengthens response
Idris said the Federal Government had intensified contact tracing, clinical management, laboratory surveillance and infection prevention measures following confirmation of the case.
The national Incident Management System has been activated at the highest level to coordinate the response involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, FCT health authorities, other government agencies and technical partners.
He said the response included strengthening screening, triage, isolation readiness and protection for healthcare workers, while trained infection prevention and control professionals were being deployed to support healthcare facilities.
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital has also undergone a needs assessment and optimisation exercise to prepare it for use as an isolation and treatment centre.
According to Idris, genomic sequencing of the confirmed case has been completed by the NCDC National Reference Laboratory and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases.
The agency has also strengthened its stock of personal protective equipment and other essential supplies, including the addition of 500 donated laboratory testing kits.
Idris urged public and private healthcare facilities to strengthen hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, injection safety, safe sharps management and the proper use of personal protective equipment.
He warned healthcare workers not to wait for laboratory confirmation before taking appropriate precautions when dealing with suspected cases.
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The NCDC director-general also urged Nigerians to avoid direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola, practise regular hand hygiene and promptly report possible exposure.
Anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure should contact public health authorities and follow their instructions before visiting a healthcare facility.
Lagos steps up surveillance
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has assured residents that no Ebola case has been confirmed in the state, while strengthening measures to detect and respond to any suspected infection.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, gave the assurance on Sunday following confirmation of the imported case in Abuja.
He said the state Ministry of Health, through its Directorate of Epidemiology, Security and Global Health, was intensifying disease surveillance, public communication and community engagement.
As part of the preparedness measures, the state has conducted an assessment and strategic engagement at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport with airport management, Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders.
The engagement focused on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, and coordination of emergency response measures.
Abayomi said the government was also expanding public education on Ebola symptoms, transmission and prevention.
Ebola is a severe disease that can be fatal. It spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms, contaminated materials or the bodies of people who have died from the disease. Infection may also occur through contact with infected animals.
The commissioner said symptoms could develop between two and 21 days after exposure and include fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may occur in some cases.
He cautioned that early symptoms could resemble malaria and other common illnesses, urging anyone who becomes unwell after possible exposure or travel from an area with active transmission to seek prompt medical assessment.
Under Lagos State’s fever-management policy, residents with fever are advised to undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial medicines. If the result is negative, a healthcare professional should assess other possible causes and determine appropriate treatment.
Abayomi also urged travelers arriving in Nigeria, particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission, to cooperate with Port Health Services and other authorized officials and provide accurate travel and health information when requested.
He said airlines and airport operators should maintain established public health protocols, while residents should rely on verified updates from the NCDC and other authorized health agencies.
Anyone who suspects exposure to Ebola in Lagos can contact the state’s emergency numbers, 112 or 767, or the Directorate of Epidemiology, Security and Global Health on 0802 316 9485.
The commissioner said the state would continue to monitor developments, strengthen surveillance and coordinate with relevant agencies to protect residents.
Both health authorities urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid stigmatizing affected people and reject misinformation, stressing that public cooperation was essential to preventing further transmission.
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