The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Bayelsa State, alongside several other states, on a moderate Ebola preparedness alert following a fresh risk assessment amid regional outbreaks of the deadly virus.
Dr. Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, in a statement on Thursday, emphasised that Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) linked to the ongoing outbreak in neighbouring countries.
According to Dr. Idris, all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) must maintain Ebola preparedness, though measures should be tailored according to each state’s risk profile.
Using the NCDC’s newly developed preparedness classification system, Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa were classified as high-risk states due to international airports, porous borders, and active trade or travel routes.
Bayelsa, along with Ogun, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi, Ebonyi, and Abia, was categorised as moderate risk, requiring sustained preparedness efforts against possible Ebola importation and transmission threats.
Dr. Idris highlighted the seriousness of the regional threat, noting that the World Health Organization’s declaration underscores the urgent need for Nigeria to strengthen preparedness measures before any suspected Ebola case is detected locally.
He explained that national preparedness efforts aim to ensure that every state, including Bayelsa, can quickly detect, contain, and respond to suspected Ebola cases, while protecting health workers and sustaining healthcare services. He warned that increasing regional transmission significantly elevates Nigeria’s importation risk due to population movement and extensive travel networks.
Bayelsa, a state with coastal borders and major riverine communities, faces unique challenges. Dr. Idris urged state health authorities and the Bayelsa Ministry of Health to ensure immediate operational readiness in public and private health facilities, strengthen infection prevention measures, and establish functional isolation or holding facilities for suspected cases.
He added that the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain currently circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda has no approved vaccines or specific treatments, making early detection, isolation, contact tracing, and supportive care crucial in containing potential outbreaks.
The NCDC DG further advised frontline health workers in Bayelsa and other moderate-risk states to monitor for early Ebola symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, and abdominal pain, especially among individuals with recent travel history to affected countries.
Dr. Idris disclosed that the NCDC has activated its national Emergency Operations Centre, coordinating preparedness activities with federal and state institutions to strengthen response capacity.
He encouraged calm communication to the public, discouraging stigma while promoting verified information.
Bayelsa residents were urged to cooperate with health authorities, adhere to public health guidelines, and promptly report any suspected cases.
The NCDC directed state governments to maintain essential health services without disruption and to submit readiness updates within seventy-two hours.
With neighbouring countries reporting over 1,000 suspected Ebola cases and 247 deaths, Nigeria’s moderate-risk states, including Bayelsa, are now on heightened alert to prevent potential importation and community transmission of the virus.
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