NCDC Debunks Ebola Rumours, Confirms No Active Cases in Nigeria
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has dismissed rumours linking Ebola to possible election postponement, confirming that Nigeria currently has no confirmed cases.
NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this Tuesday during a virtual journalists’ workshop on Ebola reporting in Lagos, urging media professionals to prevent misinformation from undermining containment efforts.
Idris said 54 primary contacts linked to a woman evacuated to Switzerland remained under daily surveillance, although three individuals who developed symptoms subsequently tested negative for Ebola.
He warned that having no confirmed cases did not mean Nigeria could be declared Ebola-free, stressing that surveillance and contact tracing must continue to prevent further transmission.
The NCDC chief explained that the woman’s Ebola infection was confirmed on October 20 after she returned to Abuja from Uganda, prompting public health authorities to initiate monitoring.
She was evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 alongside her husband at the Swiss Government’s request and expense, Idris said, adding that her condition had improved before departure.
He rejected suggestions that the evacuation demonstrated a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system, explaining that the patient’s transfer should not be interpreted as an institutional failure.
Most of the 54 contacts were quarantined in Abuja, while others observed self-quarantine at home, with officials also identifying secondary contacts who might have encountered them recently.
Idris confirmed that three contacts who developed symptoms tested negative for Ebola, but stressed that continued monitoring remained necessary despite the reassuring results received from laboratory tests.
The director-general also announced approval of ₦100,000 weekly support for quarantined contacts to ease financial difficulties caused by movement restrictions and encourage cooperation with health authorities.
He said the intervention followed concerns about affected individuals’ welfare, adding that the NCDC was engaging the Federal Capital Territory Administration over its responsibilities towards quarantined residents.
Idris urged journalists to verify Ebola reports through official channels, correct misinformation promptly and protect patients’ identities, warning that stigmatisation could harm families and discourage cooperation with authorities.
He reiterated that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick, rather than through airborne transmission.
The NCDC advised anyone experiencing fever alongside relevant travel history or contact with a suspected case to call the designated response hotline, 6232, before visiting any healthcare facility.
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