The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a new public health advisory after two suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, said on Friday that samples from the cases are undergoing further testing for other viral haemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa and dengue fever.
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Mr Idris explained that the most recent case involved a traveller who returned to Nigeria from Kigali and immediately presented himself at a hospital in Abuja when he began to feel unwell.
He commended the individual for reporting early and the clinicians at Nisa Premier Hospital for their swift action.
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“His decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured that our public health system was promptly activated and that the risk to the public was minimised,” Mr Idris said.
Ongoing outbreak in DRC
The advisory comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday that 48 confirmed and probable cases have been reported in the outbreak near the central town of Bulape, with 31 deaths recorded so far.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said more than 900 contacts have been listed and are being monitored, while vaccination of contacts, potential contacts, and frontline workers is underway.
Mr Ghebreyesus added that an Ebola treatment centre with 48 beds has been set up, and monoclonal antibody therapy is being administered.
“On Tuesday this week, the first two patients to recover were discharged,” he said.
WHO said it has delivered 14 tons of medical equipment and deployed 48 experts to support the response, while appealing for $21 million to help scale up containment efforts.
NCDC’s measures
The agency said in its latest advisory that it has conducted a dynamic risk assessment following reports of Ebola virus disease in other countries and has activated anticipatory measures nationwide.
These include strengthening surveillance at points of entry, placing isolation and treatment facilities on alert, and pre-positioning infection prevention and case management supplies.
The NCDC laboratories remain on standby for rapid testing, while public health teams are ready to conduct contact tracing if required.
The advisory also urged state governments to ensure isolation centres are functional and support surveillance officers.
Healthcare workers, particularly those in private hospitals, were reminded to maintain strict infection prevention measures and report any unusual cases through established channels.
“Private hospitals in particular play a critical role in early detection and must be fully integrated into surveillance and preparedness efforts at all levels,” the statement added.
What Nigerians should do
The NCDC urged Nigerians to maintain good hand hygiene, avoid contact with symptomatic persons, minimise animal-to-human risk, and seek help immediately if symptoms develop, especially after travel to affected countries.
It warned against misinformation and rumours, stressing that false messages can fuel fear and stigma, discourage people from seeking care, and undermine response efforts.
“Please rely only on official updates from NCDC and authorised government sources,” Mr Idris said.
Ebola facts
The NCDC explained that Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe and often deadly illness caused by the Ebola virus, with a fatality rate of between 25 and 90 per cent.
There are five distinct species of the virus: Bundibugyo, Reston, Tai Forest, Sudan, and Zaire. The Zaire strain is responsible for the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
People can become infected either through contact with infected live or dead animals, often through butchering, cooking, or eating and through human-to-human transmission via blood and other body fluids.
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It noted that health workers, family members, and mourners who have contact with infected bodies during burial rituals are considered at higher risk.
The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days. Common symptoms include sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat.
This may be followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, and jaundice. NCDC added that severe cases can involve uncontrolled bleeding, organ failure, and death, usually between eight and nine days after symptoms begin.
