The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified ten states as high-risk for Ebola importation due to the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. The states include Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa. This classification is based on increasing international travel, regional population movement, porous borders, and uncertainty about the outbreak's full magnitude.
Risk Classification and Factors
The NCDC also listed Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Abia, and Bayelsa as moderate-risk states. High-risk states are major trade and travel routes with international airports, seaports, porous borders, and ground crossings. The agency stressed that while all states must maintain Ebola preparedness, readiness levels should reflect each state's risk of importation and transmission.
Current Outbreak Situation
Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, disclosed in a public health advisory on Thursday in Abuja that a total of 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths have been reported in the DRC and Uganda, with a case fatality rate of 24.6 percent. The most affected age group is between 14 and 45 years. Regional and national risks remain high. Suspected cases have been reported in India, and Canada temporarily suspended travel applications from DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan. Uganda has also announced border closure measures.
No Approved Vaccines for Current Strain
Idris noted that there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease. Control efforts depend largely on rapid public health interventions. Existing Ebola vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments are primarily directed against the Zaire ebolavirus and should not be relied upon for this outbreak strain.
Preparedness and Response Measures
Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case, but the Dynamic Risk Assessment indicates high risk of importation due to ongoing regional transmission, international travel, population movement, major airports, seaports, porous land borders, informal crossings, trade routes, and similarity between early Ebola symptoms and common febrile illnesses like malaria and Lassa fever. Key outbreak response measures include early detection, prompt isolation, strict infection prevention and control, contact tracing, safe burial practices, community engagement, and strong surveillance systems.
The NCDC has activated its National Emergency Operations Centre in alert mode to coordinate preparedness efforts. State governments are urged to ensure operational readiness across public and private health facilities, activate state public health coordination structures, conduct rapid risk assessments, engage healthcare providers for early detection and reporting, identify isolation facilities, and strengthen health facility readiness for screening, PPE use, infection prevention, sample transportation, ambulance transfer, decontamination, and waste management. Frontline health workers must be trained, protected with appropriate PPE, and provided with supervision and psychosocial support.
Intensified traveller monitoring and surveillance are required in states with airports, seaports, land borders, and transport hubs.
