Nigeria has placed its health system on high alert over the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the reported number of confirmed cases there reached 7,672 on 20 September 2026.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention said it had issued a health advisory after reviewing the situation in the DRC. The agency said preparations were under way to address any threat, with measures under continuous review.
The advisory was signed by the NCDC director general, Jide Idris. It followed the agency's latest risk assessment and consultations with public health experts and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
The current response draws on Nigeria's experience managing infectious disease threats and its existing disease-control procedures.
The NCDC said it had stepped up surveillance, public communication about health risks and coordination of emergency responses across the country. It said no confirmed Ebola case has been recorded in Nigeria.
Travellers arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission have been advised to complete a Health Declaration Form. The agency said the requirement formed part of stronger surveillance and follow-up arrangements.
Passengers arriving from all other countries are currently exempt from completing the form. The NCDC did not identify the countries covered by the enhanced screening requirement or say how long the heightened alert would remain in place.
The agency urged Nigerians to watch for symptoms associated with Ebola and seek medical attention promptly. It said it remained committed to using surveillance, preparedness and response measures to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
The DRC reported that its 7,672 confirmed cases included 3,699 related deaths, based on data up until 19 September. The total represented an increase of 58 confirmed cases and 23 deaths from the previous report on 19 September, which covered reporting data up until 18 September.
Of the 58 newly confirmed cases, Ituri reported 38 cases and North Kivu reported 14. Haut-Uélé recorded five cases, while Tshopo recorded one.
A total of 886 patients are hospitalised in isolation, according to the reported outbreak data. Among people who tested positive for Bundibugyo virus, 1,879 have recovered.
The DRC also reported that 79.9% of identified contacts of cases were under follow-up in the affected provinces. Contact follow-up is a central part of tracing people who may have been exposed and monitoring their health during an outbreak.
Fresh Ebola outbreaks are spreading across parts of Central and East Africa. The DRC response continues to face gaps in funding, logistics and laboratory capacity, which pose significant hurdles to controlling the outbreak.
For Nigeria, the immediate focus is early detection and follow-up of travellers considered at higher risk, while maintaining national surveillance. The NCDC said its preparatory work was intended to protect Nigerians against Ebola and other infectious disease threats.
Comments (0)