The Lagos State Government said it has no suspected Ebola cases in the state but is strengthening disease surveillance and screening coordination at Murtala Muhammed International Airport after confirming an imported case of the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.
The state government, in a statement released to The PUNCH on Sunday, said it had engaged airport management, Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders to assess preparedness, with discussions focusing on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, and emergency response coordination.
The statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, reassured residents that the state was prepared to prevent, detect and respond to potential public health threats.
‘Residents and visitors need not panic, because of the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The public should remain calm and vigilant’, the statement said.
The ministry said the Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health was strengthening disease surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, alongside collaboration with agencies operating at points of entry.
It said the airport assessment was part of efforts to improve early detection and ensure relevant agencies could coordinate their response if a suspected case emerged.
“The engagement focused on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, and coordination of emergency response measures’, the statement said.
The ministry also said it was intensifying public enlightenment through educational materials explaining Ebola’s symptoms, transmission and prevention.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe illness that can be fatal. According to the ministry, the virus spreads mainly through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person showing symptoms, contaminated materials or the bodies of people who have died from the disease. Infection can also occur through contact with infected animals.
The ministry listed symptoms including fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may occur in some cases.
It said symptoms could develop between two and 21 days after exposure, warning that early signs could resemble malaria and other common illnesses.
‘Residents who become unwell, particularly after possible exposure or travel from an area with active transmission, should seek prompt medical assessment’, the statement said.
The government also urged residents to avoid contact with the body fluids of sick people, refrain from handling potentially contaminated materials and avoid contact with sick or dead wild animals.
It advised regular handwashing and urged the public to rely on verified information rather than rumours or speculation.
Reiterating the state’s fever-management policy, the ministry said anyone with a fever should undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial medicines.
‘Where the test is negative, a healthcare professional should assess other possible causes and determine appropriate treatment’, it said.
The ministry urged travellers arriving in Nigeria, particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission, to cooperate with Port Health Services and other authorised officials, provide accurate travel and health information when requested, and comply with public health guidance.
It also advised anyone who developed symptoms during travel or after arrival to notify the appropriate health personnel promptly and seek guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
Airlines and airport operators, the statement said, were expected to sustain established public health protocols, while travellers were advised to consult official guidance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.
The ministry further urged anyone who suspected exposure to Ebola, particularly after contact with a suspected or confirmed case, to contact public health authorities before visiting a healthcare facility.
It provided the state emergency numbers, 112 and 767, and the telephone number 0802 316 9485 for the Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health for reporting suspected cases or exposure concerns in Lagos.
‘The Lagos State Government will continue to monitor developments, strengthen surveillance and response readiness, coordinate with relevant stakeholders and provide verified updates as necessary’, the statement said.
‘Early detection and prompt reporting save lives’.
