The
outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is concerning, especially
for Nigeria that records high traffic of migration from and to countries within
that region of the continent. According to the BBC, “The disease has been
spreading for weeks undetected in a part of the world where civil war makes
getting on top of the virus difficult, and the species of Ebola involved is
rare, so there are fewer tools to stop a virus that kills around a third of
people infected. This is a critical moment in an outbreak where there is
uncertainty about how far it has spread, but there are already almost 250
suspected cases and 80 deaths. Most Ebola outbreaks tend to be small, but
specialists are haunted by the 2014-16 outbreak. Then, 28,600 people in West
Africa were infected in the largest ever outbreak of the disease.”
Experts
say the ugly development in Dr Congo is a cause for worry for Nigerians judging
by the high level of traffic between Nigeria and countries around that region. Passenger
traffic is high and well-connected, with daily flights taking people between
major hubs in both regions.
This
is as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, in a statement by
its Director General, Jide Idris, on Sunday, said it has increased its
surveillance of the disease.
The
17th outbreak in Congo, where Ebola was first identified in 1976, could in fact
be much larger, given the high positivity rate of the initial samples and
increasing number of suspected cases being reported, the WHO said.
The
health organisation described Congo’s outbreak as “extraordinary” as there are
no approved Bundibugyo virus-specific therapeutics or vaccines, unlike for
Ebola-Zaire strains.
All
but one of the country’s previous outbreaks were caused by the Zaire strain.
The
DRC’s dense tropical forests are a natural reservoir for the Ebola virus.
Director
General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya,
said in a statement that he had requested technical guidance and
recommendations on the potential need to declare the outbreak a ?public health
emergency of continental security.
The
often-fatal virus, which causes fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhoea,
spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons,
contaminated materials or persons who have died from the disease, according to
the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Reacting
to the development, the NCDC boss said the centre was closely monitoring the
situation due to increasing regional movement across African countries and was
working with relevant stakeholders, including the Port Health Services under
the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to strengthen preparedness
within Nigeria’s public health system.
“NCDC
is closely monitoring the situation and working with relevant stakeholders,
including the Port Health Services, to ensure continued vigilance and
preparedness within the public health system,” he stated.
The
NCDC boss described Ebola virus disease as a severe viral illness transmitted
through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, secretions, or
contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.
He
noted that the disease has an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days,
while symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat,
vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.
Idris
said the agency had continued to maintain surveillance systems for Ebola and
other epidemic-prone diseases while strengthening risk communication and
community engagement activities nationwide.
He
urged Nigerians to remain calm and avoid circulating misinformation about the
disease.
“Members
of the public should remain calm and avoid spreading misinformation,” he said.
The
NCDC advised Nigerians to practice regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with
bodily fluids of sick persons, refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat
from unknown sources, and promptly report unusual illnesses to the nearest
health facility.
The
agency also urged citizens to rely only on updates from official public health
authorities.
Healthcare
workers were advised to maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola,
especially in patients presenting symptoms compatible with the disease
alongside relevant travel or exposure history.
Idris
stressed the importance of strict adherence to infection prevention and control
measures, including early identification and isolation of suspected cases,
proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and prompt reporting
through established channels.
“NCDC
will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as
necessary,” he added.
Nigeria
gained international recognition for successfully containing an Ebola outbreak
in 2014 after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos from Liberia.
Through
rapid emergency response measures, aggressive contact tracing and coordinated
public health interventions, the outbreak was curtailed within months.
The
experience prompted significant investments in disease surveillance, emergency
preparedness and laboratory capacity by the NCDC and the Federal Government,
positioning Nigeria as one of Africa’s leading countries in epidemic response
coordination.