NCDC Places Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Seven Other States on Ebola Preparedness Watch
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified Lagos State, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rivers, and seven other states as high-priority areas requiring enhanced preparedness measures against the possible importation of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease.
The agency issued the alert following a fresh risk assessment which classified Nigeria’s likelihood of recording imported cases as high amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of East and Central Africa.
In a public health advisory sent to commissioners for health across the country, the NCDC urged state governments to immediately strengthen disease surveillance systems, improve isolation facilities, and reinforce infection prevention and control measures.
The warning follows the World Health Organization’s declaration of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Although no Ebola case has been confirmed in Nigeria, health authorities expressed concern over the continued spread of the disease within the region. According to available outbreak data, more than 1,000 suspected cases and over 240 deaths have been recorded, with the fatality rate estimated at 24.6 percent.
The NCDC noted that Nigeria remains vulnerable due to heavy international travel, busy seaports, cross-border movement, and numerous unofficial entry routes.
Based on its preparedness framework, the agency classified 10 states as high-risk because of their international transit hubs, border activities, and population movement patterns.
The states listed include Lagos, the FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa.
The agency stressed that while all states are expected to maintain standard emergency response measures, the identified high-risk states must intensify efforts to improve laboratory readiness, emergency response coordination, and dedicated isolation centres to prevent any potential outbreak within the country.
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