Ebola

The Federal Government has intensified health surveillance at all entry points into Nigeria following the resurgence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Director of Port Health Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Akpan Nse, said on Friday that screening procedures had been reinforced at airports, seaports, and land borders to prevent importation of the virus.

He explained that additional personnel had been deployed, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), to strengthen monitoring systems nationwide. Thermal scanners at airports are also being maintained in partnership with private organisations to ensure uninterrupted operation.

Health authorities in the DRC on September 5 confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola Zaire strain in Kasai Province, with 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths, including four health workers. The country, which has recorded 15 outbreaks since the disease was first identified in 1976, last battled the virus in Equateur Province in 2022.

Dr. Nse warned that Nigeria remains vulnerable due to its high volume of international travel with the DRC. He said all inbound passengers from Congo and those transiting through the country are subject to compulsory screening and mandatory health declaration forms.

“We have intensified surveillance at all points of entry,” he said. “Every passenger from Congo is screened upon arrival, whether by air, land, or sea. We are fully alert and determined to prevent the importation of the virus into Nigeria.”

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people or animals, such as fruit bats, which are considered natural hosts.