Mujeeb Akindoyin
Nigeria has heightened surveillance and preparedness measures and placed the country on high alert following the continued spread of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the outbreak has so far claimed 3,699 lives.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention disclosed the development in an interim public health advisory signed by its Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, following a fresh assessment of the epidemiological situation in the DRC and consultations with public health experts and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control showed that the DRC had recorded 7,672 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,699 related deaths as of September 20, based on data available up to September 19.
The ECDC said the latest reporting period alone accounted for 58 new confirmed cases and 23 deaths, while 197 new confirmed cases and 94 deaths had been recorded since its previous report of September 18.
The development has renewed concerns over the possibility of imported infections in countries with substantial regional and international travel links, including Nigeria.
NCDC strengthens surveillance
According to the NCDC, Nigeria’s enhanced measures are designed to detect any potential imported case early and prevent onward transmission.
The agency said its preparedness activities were ongoing and would be reviewed continuously as the epidemiological situation changes.
The NCDC has also introduced enhanced monitoring of travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission.
Such travellers may be required to complete a Health Declaration Form, while passengers arriving from other countries are currently exempt from the requirement.
The NCDC’s online health declaration system captures travellers’ personal information, travel history, countries visited within the previous 21 days and relevant health information. The system also provides for post-arrival monitoring where required.
The agency urged Nigerians and travellers to remain vigilant and seek medical attention promptly if they develop symptoms consistent with Ebola, particularly where there is a history of travel to an affected area or possible exposure.
The ECDC reported that Ituri Province remains the epicentre of the outbreak, with 5,913 confirmed cases and 2,703 deaths recorded across 28 of its 36 health zones.
The most recent 58 cases were recorded in four provinces: Ituri, 38; North Kivu, 14; Haut-Uélé, five; and Tshopo, one.
The ECDC further reported that 886 patients were hospitalised in isolation, while 1,879 people who had tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus had recovered.
About 79.9 per cent of identified contacts in the affected provinces were also under follow-up.
The figures underline the continuing challenge facing health authorities in containing the outbreak, particularly in areas where access to healthcare and disease surveillance is difficult.
Unlike some previous Ebola outbreaks, the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a species of orthoebolavirus.
The ECDC has said there are currently no licensed vaccines or specific treatments for disease caused by Bundibugyo virus, making early detection, isolation, contact tracing and infection-prevention measures particularly important.
The agency said the virus is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or animal. It is not spread through the air or through casual contact, according to its current guidance. Symptoms can take between two and 21 days to appear.
Nigeria’s vulnerability
Nigeria’s public health authorities have previously identified several factors that could facilitate the importation of infectious diseases, including extensive international travel, population movement, major airports and seaports, land borders and informal crossings.
The NCDC had already assessed the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high in its May 2026 preparedness advisory, reflecting the ongoing regional transmission and movement of people between affected and neighbouring areas.
However, Nigeria has not reported a confirmed case linked to the current DRC outbreak, based on the latest information available.
The immediate public health objective is therefore to ensure that any imported infection is detected rapidly and prevented from developing into local transmission.
ECDC deploys experts
The international response has also been stepped up.
The ECDC announced on September 21 that it was deploying two epidemiologists to the DRC to strengthen surveillance and support the broader outbreak response.
The agency described the situation in the DRC as critical but said its modelling indicated that the risk of importation into the European Union and European Economic Area remained very low for the general population.
The ECDC, however, stressed that the risk of importation depends on factors including the size of the outbreak, travel patterns and the volume of travel from affected areas.
NCDC urges vigilance
The NCDC said its response would continue to be guided by surveillance data, scientific evidence and ongoing public health risk assessments.
The agency urged Nigerians not to panic but to remain vigilant, particularly where there is a history of travel to an affected area or possible exposure.
It also advised anyone who develops symptoms compatible with Ebola to seek medical attention promptly and provide healthcare workers with accurate information about recent travel and possible exposure.
For Nigeria, health authorities face the task of maintaining vigilance at points of entry while ensuring that suspected cases can be rapidly identified, isolated, tested and managed if the virus is imported.
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