The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says Nigeria has recorded no new Ebola cases, 21 days after confirming an imported case of the Bundibugyo virus from Uganda.
The NCDC Director-General, Jide Idris, disclosed this in a national health security update issued on Tuesday.
Idris said the agency had identified 62 contacts. Of these, 34 had completed their 21-day monitoring period, while 28 remained under surveillance.
He explained that being identified as a contact did not mean a person had Ebola. Monitoring, he said, supported the early detection of symptoms and a prompt response.
“The NCDC is sustaining contact tracing, laboratory testing, surveillance, infection prevention and the investigation of reported alerts, in collaboration with relevant federal and state authorities,” Idris said.
He urged healthcare workers in public and private facilities to remain vigilant, ask patients about their travel and exposure histories, and immediately report suspected Ebola cases to public health authorities.
Idris advised anyone who developed symptoms after possible exposure to avoid contact with others and call the NCDC toll-free line, 6232, for guidance before visiting a health facility.
He said dengue fever had been confirmed in Sokoto and Zamfara states, while chikungunya had been confirmed in Sokoto, prompting intensified surveillance and response activities.
The NCDC director-general said National Rapid Response Teams, including entomologists from the National Arbovirus Research Centre in Enugu, had been deployed to support the affected states.
The teams were assisting with case identification, laboratory investigations, clinical readiness, community engagement and mosquito control, he said.
Idris cautioned Nigerians against assuming that every fever was malaria, noting that dengue and chikungunya could cause fever, headaches, body aches and joint pain.
He urged people with persistent fever, rash, vomiting or severe joint pain to seek medical assessment. Dengue could become life-threatening if warning signs were ignored, he warned.
He advised households to eliminate stagnant water, cover water containers, clear discarded tyres and protect themselves from mosquito bites. Disease-carrying mosquitoes often bite during the day, he noted.
On cerebrospinal meningitis, Idris said the agency was strengthening preparedness as the dry season advanced and the risk increased in parts of the meningitis belt.
He urged states to improve disease surveillance, diagnostic services and clinical readiness, and to implement vaccination responses where indicated to prevent avoidable deaths.
Idris also urged anyone experiencing sudden fever, severe headache, neck stiffness or confusion to seek urgent medical attention. He advised health facilities to promptly identify and refer suspected cases.
The director-general said diphtheria remained a concern, particularly among children who had missed routine immunisations. The NCDC was supporting surveillance, laboratory diagnosis and outbreak response, he added.
He urged parents and caregivers to check their children’s vaccination status and seek advice about missed doses, stressing that vaccination and early treatment were essential.
Fever accompanied by a sore throat, neck swelling, difficulty swallowing or difficulty breathing required prompt medical assessment to prevent diphtheria complications, Idris said.
On Lassa fever, he said Nigeria was approaching the period when cases historically increase. He urged states to strengthen surveillance, testing, treatment readiness and infection prevention ahead of the seasonal peak.
He called on health facilities to ensure they had adequate supplies, trained personnel and safe referral arrangements, while protecting frontline workers from infection.
Idris advised households to protect food from rodents, store it in covered containers and keep their surroundings clean. He also urged people with persistent fever to seek medical attention early.
He encouraged clinicians to consider infections other than malaria when assessing patients with persistent fever, particularly during the Lassa fever season.
Ahead of the festive period, Idris called on state governments, event organisers and healthcare providers to strengthen health and safety arrangements for concerts, religious gatherings and other mass events.
He urged event organisers to provide basic medical assistance, maintain hygiene and sanitation, and establish clear procedures for identifying and reporting suspected infectious diseases.
He also advised travellers and event participants to follow public health advisories, seek medical attention when unwell and avoid crowded events if they had symptoms.
“State governments have to sustain surveillance, laboratory capacity, treatment readiness and community engagement, while providing frontline workers with adequate funding and operational resources,” Idris said.
He urged public and private health facilities to promptly report suspected infections and take appropriate measures to protect healthcare personnel.
Idris advised Nigerians to ensure their children were fully vaccinated, protect themselves from mosquitoes and rodents, seek medical attention early and avoid spreading unverified information.
He said suspected cases could be reported, and guidance obtained, through the NCDC toll-free line, 6232, or from state public health authorities.
Idris said the Ebola response remained active, alongside interventions against dengue, chikungunya and diphtheria, as the country strengthened its preparedness for meningitis and Lassa fever.
He acknowledged the Federal Government, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, state governments, frontline health workers, partners and communities for supporting national health security efforts.
Early detection, disease prevention and sustained preparedness remained critical to protecting Nigerians, he said, adding that everyone had a role to play in safeguarding public health.
