Ebola: FG Boosts Land Border, Airport Surveillance and Screening

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The Federal Government has intensified Ebola surveillance measures at land borders and airports across Nigeria as the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to pose a threat.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has placed states on high preparedness alert over the risk of importation, with screening protocols now active at all entry points across the country.

Health officials have been deployed to major international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano, as well as key land border crossings, to screen incoming travellers for symptoms of the virus.

The enhanced surveillance includes temperature checks, symptom questionnaires, and referral protocols for suspected cases. Travellers arriving from countries with active Ebola transmission are being subjected to additional scrutiny.

The move comes as the World Health Organization reported that suspected Ebola cases in the DRC have dropped from 906 to 116, while 321 cases have been confirmed, including 48 deaths in the DRC and nine cases in neighbouring Uganda.

No vaccine or approved treatment is currently available against the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus driving the current outbreak, making containment through surveillance and early detection critical.

The NCDC has urged members of the public to maintain high standards of hygiene and report any suspicious symptoms to the nearest health facility.

Sources: Channels TV