Lagos steps up Ebola surveillance, urges calm

The Lagos State Government has intensified disease surveillance and strengthened its preparedness measures to prevent, detect, and respond to potential Ebola Virus Disease cases, assuring residents that there is no cause for panic.

The state government said it was strengthening surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, alongside collaboration with relevant agencies at points of entry, particularly the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), to ensure early detection and prompt response to suspected cases.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, gave the assurance in a statement issued on Sunday, urging residents to remain calm, vigilant and adhere to recommended preventive measures.

According to him, “Lagos State is ready to prevent, detect and respond to potential public health threats. Residents and visitors need not panic because of the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola virus from Bundibugyo into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The public should remain calm and vigilant.”

Abayomi explained that the Ministry of Health, through the Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, was intensifying surveillance and strengthening collaboration with relevant stakeholders to enhance the State’s capacity to identify and respond to suspected cases.

He disclosed that the State had conducted a strategic engagement and assessment at MMIA involving airport management, Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders.

The engagement, he said, focused on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, as well as coordination of emergency response measures.

The commissioner added that the Ministry was also intensifying public enlightenment through educational materials highlighting Ebola symptoms, modes of transmission and preventive measures.

Describing Ebola Virus Disease as a severe illness that could be fatal, Abayomi explained that the disease spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person showing symptoms, contaminated materials, or the bodies of people who have died from the disease. Transmission may also occur through contact with infected animals.

He urged residents to avoid contact with potentially infectious materials and rely on verified information rather than rumours or speculation.

“Residents are advised to avoid contact with potentially infectious materials and to rely on verified information rather than rumours or speculation,” he said.

Abayomi noted that Ebola symptoms could develop 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 could also occur in some cases.

He cautioned that early symptoms could resemble malaria and other common illnesses, advising anyone who became unwell, particularly after possible exposure or travel from an area with active transmission, to seek prompt medical assessment.

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The commissioner further reminded residents that, in line with Lagos State’s fever-management policy, anyone with a fever should undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial medicines.

“Where the test is negative, a healthcare professional should assess other possible causes and determine appropriate treatment,” he said.

He also advised residents to wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with the body fluids of sick persons, refrain from handling potentially contaminated materials, and stay away from sick or dead wild animals.

Travellers arriving in Nigeria, particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission, were urged to cooperate with Port Health Services and other authorised officials by providing accurate travel and health information when requested and complying with applicable public health guidance.

Abayomi advised anyone who developed symptoms during travel or after arrival to promptly notify the appropriate health personnel and seek guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.

He also called on airlines and airport operators to sustain established public health protocols, while encouraging travellers to consult official advisories from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for current guidance.

The commissioner stressed the importance of prompt reporting, particularly among individuals who suspected they might have been exposed to the virus.

“Anyone who suspects exposure to Ebola, especially following contact with a suspected or confirmed case, should promptly contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility,” he advised.

He disclosed that suspected cases or relevant exposure concerns in Lagos could be reported through the State’s emergency numbers, 112 or 767, or by contacting the Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health, on 0802 316 9485.

Abayomi assured residents that the State Government would continue to monitor developments, strengthen surveillance and response readiness, coordinate with relevant stakeholders and provide verified updates as necessary.

He urged Lagos residents to remain calm, practise recommended preventive measures and follow official public health announcements.

“Early detection and prompt reporting save lives,” the commissioner said.