Nigeria’s Ebola risk remains low despite regional spread, says WHO

By Ayobami Okerinde

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria currently faces a low risk of an Ebola outbreak, even as the virus continues to spread in parts of Africa.

The Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Chikwe Ihekweazu, disclosed this on Tuesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

He said surveillance and response systems have been strengthened across affected regions, while noting that Nigeria’s exposure remains limited compared to neighbouring countries.

“Whenever there’s an outbreak, it’s always a concern around international spread. There’ve been a few confirmed cases in Uganda; all are linked back to the cluster in the DRC, and all are secondary cases.

“Uganda is the only country with confirmed Ebola cases outside the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We’ve categorised countries across the continent and world according to risk category. The countries at highest risk are those that share borders with the DRC. The risk of exporting to a country like Nigeria is low.

“The other aspect is the preparedness of each country. Even if the risk is low, it could still happen. The question is, is every country ready and able to detect a case if it arrives? Take appropriate public health measures such as collecting samples and identifying hospitals where they can be managed appropriately and safely and containing the response.”

Despite the assessment, Ihekweazu warned that the outbreak remains a serious global health threat requiring coordinated international action.

“It is only the ninth time in history that an outbreak has been declared a public health emergency of international concern.

“This Ebola outbreak is serious and requires an internationally coordinated response. It has already spread to other countries.

The former Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) chief also noted that this is only the third time Ebola has triggered such a declaration, adding that more than 300 confirmed cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“This is the third time Ebola has met this criterion. There are over 300 confirmed cases spread throughout the DR Congo,” he said.

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