Nigeria on Alert Over Ebola Scare as Suspected Cases Test Negative — NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that two suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for both Ebola and Marburg viruses.

NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, explaining that the most recent case involved a traveller from Kigali who sought medical care immediately after feeling unwell.

“The 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,” Dr. Idris said.

He commended clinicians and staff of Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, for their swift action and high level of suspicion, which triggered a rapid and coordinated response. The DG also praised the FCT Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, airline and immigration authorities, and other partners for their prompt collaboration — describing it as proof of Nigeria’s improving preparedness capacity.

Dr. Idris noted that, following recent reports of Ebola in other countries, the NCDC carried out a Dynamic Risk Assessment and intensified anticipatory measures nationwide. Surveillance has been reinforced at points of entry, isolation and treatment centres placed on alert, and infection-prevention supplies prepositioned.

The agency’s national reference laboratories remain on standby for rapid testing, while public health teams are prepared for immediate contact tracing if necessary. Beyond this, the NCDC is working with state governments and partners to strengthen readiness across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He urged state authorities to support surveillance officers, maintain functional isolation centres, and provide resources for swift response. Healthcare workers, he stressed, must sustain a high index of suspicion, follow strict infection-prevention protocols, and report unusual cases immediately.

Dr. Idris further advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with symptomatic individuals, reduce animal-to-human exposure, and seek urgent medical care if symptoms appear after travel to affected countries.

“The NCDC remains committed to protecting the health of all Nigerians,” he assured, calling for vigilance, collaboration, and community support to prevent, detect, and respond effectively to public health threats.

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