NCDC Intensifies Surveillance Over Ebola Outbreak In DR Congo, Uganda

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has stepped up nationwide surveillance and preparedness measures following the ongoing Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a recently confirmed imported case in Uganda.

The agency, however, reassured Nigerians that no case of Ebola has been detected in the country at present.

“Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease,” the NCDC director-general, Dr. Jide Idris, said in a public health advisory issued on Sunday.

Idris said health authorities in the affected countries, with support from international partners, have activated emergency response systems aimed at containing the spread of the virus. These include enhanced surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, case management, and risk communication.

He explained that the NCDC is closely monitoring regional developments due to increased cross-border movement across African countries and is working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s preparedness.

“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,” he said.

According to him, Ebola Virus Disease is a severe illness transmitted through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, secretions, or contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.

He noted that the disease has an incubation period of two to 21 days and symptoms may include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.

Idris said the agency has continued to maintain surveillance systems for Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases while strengthening public awareness and community engagement across the country.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation about the disease.

“Members of the public should remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation,” he said.

The NCDC also advised Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons, refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources, and promptly report unusual illnesses to the nearest health facility.

Healthcare workers were urged to maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola, particularly among patients presenting compatible symptoms alongside relevant travel or exposure history. The agency stressed strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures, including early identification and isolation of suspected cases, proper use of personal protective equipment, and timely reporting.

The NCDC said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.

Nigeria is widely recognised for its successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which was traced to an infected traveller who arrived in Lagos from Liberia. Rapid emergency response, contact tracing, and coordinated public health interventions helped stop the outbreak within months.

That experience significantly strengthened Nigeria’s disease surveillance and emergency preparedness systems through investments led by the NCDC and the federal government.