NCDC AND THE EBOLA ALERT

Surveillance at major points of entry into the country should be strengthened

Health authorities in Nigeria are urged to remain vigilant after the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the number of suspected Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda has risen to 600, with 139 suspected deaths. The WHO Emergency Committee met in Geneva last Wednesday, where Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed to reporters that the virus remains a public health emergency of international concern, but not a pandemic emergency. “The WHO assess the risk of the epidemic as high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” Tedros said.

Ebola is a lethal viral disease that can kill within a week of infection, leaving little time for treatment. Symptoms typically appear between two days and three weeks after exposure and include fever, sore throat, headache, and vomiting—similar to malaria. The virus spreads through close contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people or animals such as fruit bats. According to DRC health authorities, the current outbreak is driven by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or treatment exists.

The 2014 outbreak in West Africa caused widespread panic and resulted in about 11,300 deaths, mainly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. In Nigeria, Ebola claimed eight lives, including Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh of the First Consultant Hospital in Lagos. The index case in Nigeria was Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian‑American who arrived with the virus and died in July 2014. Nigeria’s rapid, coordinated response helped contain the disease, and the WHO declared the country Ebola‑free on 20 October 2014.

Because Ebola is not endemic to Nigeria, it can only enter the country through land, sea or air borders. Although there are no direct flights from the DRC to Nigeria, all passengers arriving from affected areas must be thoroughly screened. In 2014, the federal government strengthened its response team, increased surveillance at major points of entry, and mobilised trained health workers. Public awareness campaigns were also launched to educate citizens on containment measures.

These efforts earned praise from the international community and from Lagos State health authorities. The appropriate response saved many lives. WHO projections indicate that it could take up to nine months to develop a vaccine for this particular Ebola species. Two “candidate vaccines” for the Bundibugyo strain are in development, but neither has yet entered clinical trials.

While the WHO risk assessment remains “high at the national and regional levels and low at the global level,” the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has intensified surveillance and emergency response. Although Nigeria has not recorded a confirmed case, NCDC Director‑General Jide Idris said the agency is closely monitoring developments in affected countries and coordinating preparedness with Port Health Services and other stakeholders. “Response activities are ongoing in affected areas, and we are ensuring continued vigilance within Nigeria’s public health system,” Idris said.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed.