NCDC raises alarm, places Lagos, FCT, Kano, Rivers, others on high Ebola alert

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Rivers and several other states on high Ebola preparedness alert following a fresh risk assessment that classified Nigeria’s likelihood of importing the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease as “high.”

In a nationwide public health advisory issued on Thursday to Commissioners for Health across all 36 states and the FCT, the agency warned that urgent reinforcement of surveillance, isolation capacity and infection prevention systems had become necessary amid ongoing outbreaks in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) had earlier declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), a designation the NCDC said underscored the need for immediate national readiness before any suspected case is recorded in the country.

Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case, the agency said its Dynamic Risk Assessment—conducted with international partners—indicated a high risk of importation due to regional transmission, international travel, porous borders and widespread informal cross-border movements.

According to the advisory, 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths have already been reported in affected countries, with a case fatality rate of 24.6 per cent.

> “The overall risk of importation of the disease into Nigeria has been assessed as HIGH due to increasing regional transmission, international travel, population movement, airports, seaports, porous borders and trade routes,” the NCDC stated.

The agency stressed that all states must immediately activate preparedness systems to ensure early detection and rapid containment of any suspected cases, while protecting healthcare workers.

It also warned that Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, making early detection and public health response the only effective defence.

The NCDC classified Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba and Adamawa as high-risk states due to their international entry points, population density and cross-border activities.

The advisory further urged health workers to maintain high vigilance, noting that early symptoms of Ebola often mimic malaria, Lassa fever and other common illnesses.

The agency confirmed that its National Emergency Operations Centre has been placed on alert mode to coordinate response readiness nationwide.

It added that states have been directed to strengthen surveillance systems, isolation centres, contact tracing mechanisms and infection prevention protocols across both public and private health facilities.

The NCDC assured Nigerians of continued coordination with state governments and development partners to prevent any possible importation or community transmission of the virus.