Ebola Alarm: Lagos ramps up surveillance as 177 die in Central Africa outbreak

By Chioma Obinna

The Lagos Advise Authorities has intensified surveillance and border health screening following the worsening Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Central and East Africa, the put no longer lower than 177 deaths own been recorded from about 700 suspected cases.

Meanwhile, the explain govt has advised Lagosians who own contact with travellers from affected areas and are experiencing signs, to call 767 or 112, or contact the Advise Epidemiologist on 08023169485.

The outbreak, currently limited to Congo and Uganda, has precipitated a Public Successfully being Emergency of World Distress (PHEIC) declaration by the World Successfully being Organisation (WHO), amid concerns over complicated terrain and delays in containment efforts.

Disclosing this the previous day, the Lagos Advise Commissioner for Successfully being, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a put up on his X contend with, assured residents that no suspected or confirmed case of Ebola has been recorded in the explain.Abayomi said the explain is closely monitoring the evolving misfortune and remains fully prepared to answer to any public health threat.

“We’re closely monitoring the evolving Ebola outbreak misfortune in Central and East Africa… we own no longer seen any cases similar to Ebola in Lagos to this level,” the commissioner acknowledged.

He added that Lagos has activated its outbreak-tested biosecurity framework, described as a “Biosecurity Bio-protect,” designed to detect, own and reply to excessive-final consequence infectious diseases.
He said the design, reinforced since the 2014 Ebola outbreak and reinforced all over COVID-19 to boot to other outbreaks equivalent to cholera, diphtheria and Lassa fever, remains on permanent alert.

“The Lagos Advise Incident Assert Design (ICS), led by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, is on standby to coordinate emergency response if required.”

He said said its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) operates round-the-clock, with epidemiologists and surveillance officers monitoring neighborhood-stage illness indicators all the diagram in which by means of Lagos.

The commissioner extra confirmed that the Lagos Advise Infectious Disease Health center remains fully prepared, with isolation wards, intensive care devices and case management companies prepared for any suspected infectious illness cases.

He added that its Biosafety Level-3 Laboratory in Yaba is on enhanced alert for like a flash diagnosis of excessive-danger pathogens.

On border care for a watch on, he said all flights returning from East and Central Africa are below intensified screening in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Regulate, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigeria Institute of Medical Study.

He said surveillance has also been reinforced at seaports and land borders, with Port Successfully being officers placed on heightened alert.

On the neighborhood stage, he said Community Successfully being Workers, Community Pattern Associations and Civil Society Organisations own been integrated into an early-warning design to be obvious that that like a flash reporting of suspected cases.

“Strategic stockpiles of Non-public Holding Equipment (PPE), disinfectants and emergency gives own been positioned all the diagram in which by means of key locations, while ambulance companies stay on standby.”

Reassuring residents, the commissioner wired that there is no longer any reason for panic, noting that preparedness has become a permanent tradition in the explain’s public health design.

“Our level of curiosity remains prevention, early detection, like a flash reporting and swift response. Preparedness is no longer any longer a momentary reaction for us; it’s our permanent tradition,” he said.

He advised residents who lately travelled to Congo or Uganda, or had contact with travellers from affected areas and are experiencing signs, to call 767 or 112, or contact the Advise Epidemiologist on 08023169485.

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