Ebola Emergency Watch Begins in Lagos, FCT, Eight States

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and several other states on high Ebola alert following the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease in parts of East and Central Africa.

In a public health advisory issued to state commissioners for health, the NCDC warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importation due to increased regional transmission, international travel, porous borders and population movement.

“The immediate objective of our national preparedness and readiness efforts is to ensure that every state and the FCT can reasonably detect, contain, and respond swiftly to any suspected case while protecting health workers and sustaining essential health services,” the agency said.

The advisory, dated May 27, 2026, listed high-risk states as Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba and Adamawa, citing their international airports, seaports, border routes and high human traffic.

The agency noted that although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case, a risk assessment carried out after the outbreak was declared a public health emergency showed a high likelihood of importation.

According to the NCDC, 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths have been reported in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with a fatality rate of 24.6 per cent.

It added that international concern has increased, with suspected cases reported in India, while Canada has introduced temporary restrictions on travel applications involving residents of Uganda, the DRC and South Sudan. Uganda, it added, has also introduced border closure measures to contain the spread.

“The current Bundibugyo virus outbreak has no licensed vaccines or approved targeted therapeutics,” the agency warned, stressing that the strain differs from the Zaire Ebola strain targeted by existing vaccines.

The NCDC further cautioned that early symptoms may resemble malaria, Lassa fever and other common illnesses, urging health workers not to wait for bleeding before suspecting Ebola in relevant cases.

As part of preparedness measures, the agency said its National Emergency Operations Centre has been activated in alert mode, while states have been directed to strengthen surveillance, activate isolation centres, equip frontline workers with protective gear and intensify public awareness campaigns.

The Lagos State Government, however, assured residents that there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases in the state, adding that its biosecurity system remains fully activated and strengthened since previous outbreaks, including Ebola in 2014 and the COVID-19 pandemic.