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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that two recent suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever identified in Abuja tested negative for both the Ebola and Marburg viruses.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, made this known in a statement issued on Friday. He explained that the most recent suspected case involved a traveller who arrived in Abuja from Kigali and immediately sought medical attention after beginning to feel unwell.
Dr. Idris stated, “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.”
The NCDC commended the medical professionals and staff at Nisa Premier Hospital in Abuja for their prompt action and keen clinical awareness, which led to a swift and coordinated public health response.
Dr. Idris also extended appreciation to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, airline and immigration officials, and other relevant stakeholders for their timely collaboration. He described this as a clear demonstration of Nigeria’s increasing capacity for public health preparedness.
He noted that the NCDC had conducted a Dynamic Risk Assessment following recent reports of Ebola outbreaks in other countries and had enhanced nationwide preventive measures in anticipation of any potential cases.
According to Dr. Idris, surveillance activities have been intensified at entry points into the country, while isolation and treatment centres have been placed on high alert. Essential infection-prevention supplies have also been strategically prepositioned.
The NCDC’s national reference laboratories remain prepared to conduct rapid testing, while public health response teams are on standby for immediate contact tracing should the need arise.
In addition to these measures, Dr. Idris said the agency is collaborating with state governments and partner organisations to strengthen readiness across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. He urged state authorities to continue supporting surveillance officers, ensure the functionality of isolation centres, and provide the resources needed for quick responses.
He also appealed to health workers to sustain a high level of clinical suspicion, strictly follow infection-prevention protocols, and report any unusual cases without delay.
Dr. Idris encouraged the Nigerian public to maintain good hand hygiene, avoid contact with symptomatic individuals, reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission, and seek immediate medical attention if they or anyone with recent travel history to affected regions develops symptoms.
He affirmed, “The NCDC remains committed to protecting the health of all Nigerians,” while underscoring the importance of ongoing vigilance, cooperation between public and private sectors, and community involvement in preventing, identifying, and effectively responding to any public health threat.
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