The Lagos State Government has said there is no confirmed case of Ebola in the state, assuring residents that measures are being strengthened to detect and respond to potential infections.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, gave the assurance in a statement on Sunday following the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus in Abuja.
Abayomi said the state Ministry of Health, through its Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, was strengthening disease surveillance, risk communication and community engagement.
He said the government was also working with agencies at points of entry, including the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), to improve the early detection of suspected cases and coordinate responses.
According to the commissioner, the state recently conducted an assessment and strategic engagement with airport management, Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders.
He said the engagement focused on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, and emergency response coordination.
Abayomi added that the ministry was intensifying public awareness campaigns to educate residents about Ebola, its symptoms, transmission and prevention.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe illness that can be fatal. It spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, contaminated materials or the body of a person who has died from the disease. Infection can also occur through contact with infected animals.
The commissioner said symptoms could appear between two and 21 days after exposure and include fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may also occur in some cases.
He advised residents who develop symptoms, particularly after possible exposure or travel from an area reporting transmission, to seek prompt medical assessment.
Abayomi noted that early Ebola symptoms could resemble those of malaria and other common illnesses, urging healthcare professionals to assess patients appropriately.
He also advised residents with fever to undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial medication, in line with the state’s fever-management policy.
Where a malaria test is negative, he said, a healthcare professional should investigate other possible causes and determine appropriate treatment.
The commissioner urged residents to wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with the body fluids of sick people, refrain from handling potentially contaminated materials and stay away from sick or dead wild animals.
He also called on travellers arriving in Nigeria, particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission, to cooperate with Port Health Services and provide accurate travel and health information when requested.
Travellers who develop symptoms during their journey or after arrival should promptly notify health personnel and seek guidance before visiting a healthcare facility, he said.
Abayomi further urged airlines and airport operators to maintain established public health protocols and advised travellers to consult official guidance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
He advised anyone who suspects exposure to Ebola, particularly following contact with a suspected or confirmed case, to contact public health
