As cases rise in Uganda, Nigeria warns against the spread of the virus.
Ebola virus continues to loom in some parts of Africa as new instances were recorded in Uganda. In a recent public health advisory held, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said as of 29 October, the Uganda Ministry of Health had reported 128 confirmed Ebola cases and 34 deaths since it officially declared the outbreak of the Sudan strain of the virus on 20 September 2022. Following the rising cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Uganda, Nigeria has warned against the spread of the virus into the country.
This risk is due to the large volume of air travel between Nigeria and Uganda and the mixing of passengers, especially at the regional travel hubs of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Kigali airports. There are additional risks from other neighboring countries that share a direct border with Uganda. The latest development results from the meeting held by the NCDC’s National Emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Disease Technical Working Group on 26 September 2022 to assess the risk of importation of EVD to Nigeria.
Necessary health agencies are on alert mode in case of emergency.
NCDC said from the outputs of this risk assessment; several measures have been emplaced to prevent and mitigate the impact of a potential EVD outbreak in Nigeria, noting that its Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) is now in alert mode and the development of an incident action plan for the first few cases of EVD has commenced. It added that POE surveillance had been amplified by utilizing the passenger pre-boarding health declaration and screening form in the Nigeria International Travel Portal (NITP) platform.
The agency has also made it known that travelers arriving from Uganda or who transited in Uganda are being observed for 21 days after they arrive in Nigeria for their health status. Trained Rapid Response Teams and all state Public Health Emergency Operations Centres (PHEOCs) are on standby to be deployed in the event of an outbreak. It further states that anyone in Nigeria who has recently been to, or transited through Uganda within the past 21 days, and is experiencing symptoms like fever, muscular ache, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruises should promptly call 6232, or state ministry of health hotlines for assessment and testing.
Travellers with and without symptoms are urged to take precautions.
In addition, NCDC said such persons should not visit any health facilities alone but instead would be paid a visit at home by dedicated responders for assessment and moved through the designated transport arrangement to the designated treatment centre when required. This is done to avoid the further spread of the virus through the shared transport system (public or private). Intending travelers to Nigeria with the above-stated symptoms before departure should endeavor not to travel to Nigeria but call to report promptly to Port Health Authorities or designated health authorities in the country of departure for testing and care.
Inbound travelers to Nigeria with a recent travel history to or through Uganda without symptoms on departure, but who become unwell while on transit, are required to avoid contact with people and report to the Port Health Services on arrival at the point of entry to Nigeria. And also, NCDC added that travelers with a travel history to Uganda who show no symptoms on arrival, should provide accurate information on the NITP platform to ensure follow-up from health workers, and that if any of the symptoms develop anytime within 21 days of arrival in Nigeria, please self-isolate immediately by staying indoors.
NCDC issues preventive cautions against the virus.
To prevent the virus outbreak in Nigeria, The Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health has scaled up the screening of passengers returning from Uganda at POEs. Furtherly, NCDC has advised the citizens and residents to avoid unnecessary travel to Uganda until public health authorities have determined the outbreak to be contained. If unavoidable, travelers are advised to avoid contact with obviously sick persons or suspected Ebola patients. It also urged Nigerians to wash their hands frequently using soap and water or hand sanitizers, adding that healthcare workers should always use personal protective equipment when handling patients.
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The NCDC needs to be very alert because of the rise of ebola cases in Uganda presently because of travellers that has passed through the country and shows symptoms of sickness needs to be quarantined.
NCDC need to start the awareness and sensitization campaign now for people traveling to those regions where the ebola is rampaging now because the the disease is very deadly and it spread fast.
This ebola case is now getting very serious. The different countries especially in Africa should quickly become proactive before the disease gets it’s root back here again.
Nigeria is really at high risk of the virus spreading due to the travelers going to and through Uganda. Adequate measures and carefulness needs to be observed to prevent an outbreak in Nigeria.
We need to stay alert and don’t let this virus breakthrough again ncdc needs to start letting people know about the existence of the virus so they can take precaution and preventive measure should be taking to fight this virus to safe lives
NCDC have do the needful to avoid the spread of Ebola virus in Nigeria. We really have to be careful not to let another outbreak of the Ebola cases again
The threat posed by the Ebola virus remains present in certain regions of Africa as fresh cases have been documented in Uganda.
This risk is a result of the high number of air travel between Nigeria and Uganda and the mixing of passengers, particularly at the regional airport hubs of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Kigali.
The rate at which this country is experiencing outbreak of diseases is overwhelming, our medical sector should act fast and enlighten people on how to protect themselves
We are deeply troubled to learn that the Ebola virus is still a threat in some regions of Africa as a result of fresh cases being documented in Uganda.
Every precautionary measure should be taken to guide against Ebola gaining entrance into Nigeria and every Nigerian should be at alert to ensure and report any suspected case.
Nigeria is truly at great risk since we frequent Uganda where 128 cases of Ebola disease has been recorded. Our government need to be proactive in handling and curtail the spread of Ebola to Nigeria. Every necessary things that needs to be done needs to put in place to guide against it.
in an effort to curb the epidemic’s spread via public transportation (public or private). Those who have any of the aforementioned symptoms before to leaving for Nigeria should reconsider their trip and instead contact the Port Health Authorities or designated health authorities in their place of departure to be tested and treated.
Based on the results of this risk assessment, a number of preventative and response measures have been put into place in Nigeria.
It is to the agency’s credit that it has also made it known that tourists arriving in Nigeria from Uganda or who have transited via Uganda will be monitored for their health status for a period of 21 days after they have arrived in Nigeria.
It is important for residents of Nigeria to regularly wash their hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizers, and it is also essential for healthcare professionals to always wear protective gear whenever they are working with patients.
Several measures have been put in place in light of the results of this risk assessment in order to prevent and lessen the impact of an EVD outbreak in Nigeria. The country’s Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) is currently in alert mode, and work on an incident action plan for the first few cases of EVD has begun.
The high number of air travel between Nigeria and Uganda and the mixing of people are the major risk. NCDC has ensured that several measures have been put in place to prevent and mitigate the impact of the virus outbreak in Nigeria.
We seriously need to be very cautious of everything we are doing in order to prevent the spread of this virus because it is highly contagious and deadly.
Everyone is advised to strictly adhere to precautions set in place by NCDC. Also infected persons are advised not to visit any health facilities alone but instead would be paid a visit at home by dedicated responders for assessment. Let’s all endeavor to stay safe
Nigerians should wash their hands frequently using soap and water or hand sanitizers, adding that healthcare workers should always use personal protective equipment when handling patients.