Nigeria reviews Ebola preparedness nationwide after Kenya's Bundibugyo case
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said on Tuesday night that it is reviewing the country's Ebola readiness after Kenya confirmed an imported case of the Bundibugyo virus. The patient, a Kenyan citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, traveled by road to Uganda then flew to Nairobi, where they were isolated after developing symptoms, tested positive, and died on the night of 5 October. As of 6 October, Nigeria has no confirmed Ebola case.
This matters because the case shows how the virus can move across borders through travel, putting Nigeria at risk of importation. NCDC said it has been working with the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services, state governments and partners to boost preparedness—focusing on early detection, isolation, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, risk communication and protection of health workers. A national tabletop simulation exercise has already been run to test the response.
What should you do? If you have recently traveled from an affected area, monitor your health for 21 days. If fever or other symptoms appear, avoid close contact and immediately call a recognised health facility or public health authority, clearly stating your travel history. Everyone should wash hands regularly and avoid touching the body fluids of sick or dead people. Health workers must keep a high suspicion for Ebola when treating patients with compatible symptoms and recent travel to affected zones. NCDC will keep watching Kenya, DRC and other countries and update measures as needed.