Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reassured the public that no confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) exist within the country, even as a fresh and alarming outbreak grips the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), claiming at least 15 lives.
This development has prompted Nigeria to elevate its vigilance, with intensified monitoring at borders, hospitals, and local communities to safeguard against any potential spillover.
In a public health bulletin released on Saturday, September 6, 2025, in Abuja, NCDC Director-General Dr. Jide Idris outlined the proactive measures, stating that while Nigeria remains Ebola-free, “preparedness has been intensified with infection control, border checks, and community risk communication to prevent importation and transmission.”
He highlighted Nigeria’s historical brush with the virus during its sole outbreak in 2014, when a traveler from Liberia brought the disease into the country, leading to 20 infections and eight fatalities before authorities swiftly contained it.
The DRC’s crisis, declared its 16th EVD outbreak on September 4, 2025, by the Ministry of Health, centers in the remote Kasai Province’s Bulape and Mweka health zones.
Officials confirmed the Zaire strain—the most virulent form of the virus—after testing samples from 28 suspected cases, resulting in 15 deaths, including four healthcare workers, for a chilling mortality rate of about 54 percent.
The index case involved a 34-year-old pregnant woman hospitalized on August 20 with severe symptoms like high fever, bloody diarrhea, and hemorrhaging; she succumbed to multiple organ failure on August 25.
Investigations point to a new zoonotic spillover from an unidentified animal reservoir, unrelated to prior DRC incidents in the region from 2007 and 2008.
Idris noted that the DRC has mobilized its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and a rapid response team, bolstered by World Health Organization (WHO) assistance, to curb the spread.
“The Ebola Zaire strain identified had an approved vaccine, Ervebo, which had been proven effective in controlling outbreaks and protecting vulnerable populations in affected regions,” he emphasized, adding that stockpiles of the vaccine and treatments are already en route to the epicenters.
To shield Nigerians from this high-fatality threat—known for symptoms including fever, vomiting, and unexplained bleeding—Idris stressed basic yet crucial preventive steps.
“Frequent handwashing with soap and water as regular hygiene [is] a key preventive measure to reduce transmission risk from contact with infected surfaces or individuals,” he advised.
He further cautioned against close contact with symptomatic individuals, handling raw or undercooked bushmeat, and encountering wildlife like fruit bats, monkeys, or apes, which serve as natural hosts for the virus.
Urging swift action, Idris called on citizens to report any unusual illnesses, particularly in those with recent travel to outbreak zones, via the NCDC’s toll-free hotline 6232.
Healthcare professionals, he said, must stay alert, adhere to strict infection protocols, and notify authorities immediately for quick intervention. Travel guidance was clear: “Avoid all but essential trips to countries currently experiencing Ebola outbreaks to minimise the risk of exposure and disease importation.”
The NCDC chief pledged ongoing transparency, vowing to deliver regular updates in partnership with global allies as they track the DRC situation and other hotspots across Africa. With the virus’s potential for rapid human-to-human spread via bodily fluids or contaminated items, Nigeria’s heightened readiness underscores a collective resolve to prevent history from repeating itself.(NAN)
