The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has warned of the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria after Kenya confirmed its first imported case of the disease.
In a statement signed by its Director General, Jide Idris, on Tuesday, the agency said Nigeria is reviewing its preparedness following the confirmation of the case, which is linked to the ongoing Bundibugyo virus outbreak.
The NCDC said there was no confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria as of October 6.
It said Kenya’s case highlights the risk of the virus spreading across countries through international travel and population movement.
Kenya became the fourth country to report a case linked to the current outbreak, following the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda and France.
Kenya confirmed its first imported case after a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the DRC travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda, before flying to Nairobi.
The patient developed symptoms after arriving in Nairobi and was isolated. Samples tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus at Kenya’s National Virology Reference Laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute.
The patient later died on October 5 despite receiving supportive care and was buried under Kenya’s safe and dignified burial protocol.
The current outbreak was first reported in the DRC and is linked to the Bundibugyo virus, a species of Ebola virus.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the DRC had recorded 7,890 confirmed cases and 3,799 deaths as of September 23, representing a case fatality ratio of 48.1 per cent.
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The outbreak has affected 63 health zones across seven provinces, with WHO warning of increased risks of cross-border transmission. Uganda’s latest Ebola outbreak ended in August, while France reported a travel-related case in June.
On Nigeria’s preparedness, the NCDC said it had already taken steps to strengthen its response since the outbreak was first reported in the DRC.
The agency said it was working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Port Health Services, state governments and other partners to improve the country’s ability to detect and respond to a possible Ebola case.
Measures, it said, include early detection, isolation and referral of suspected cases, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, public awareness and protection of healthcare workers.
The agency added that Nigeria had conducted a national Ebola preparedness tabletop exercise to test the country’s readiness and would continue to monitor developments in Kenya, the DRC and other affected countries.
The NCDC advised people travelling from affected areas to monitor their health for 21 days after leaving the affected area, avoid unnecessary contact if symptoms develop, and immediately contact public health authorities or visit a recognised health facility.
It also advised travellers to clearly disclose their travel history and any possible exposure to Ebola.
The agency urged Nigerians to maintain good hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of sick or deceased persons, while health workers were advised to maintain a high level of suspicion when treating patients with symptoms linked to Ebola, especially those who have travelled to or had contact with people from affected areas within the previous 21 days.
