By Atoyebi Nike
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that two suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja tested negative for Ebola Virus Disease and Marburg Virus. The agency said further tests are ongoing for Lassa fever and dengue fever.
In a public advisory, NCDC Director General Dr. Jide Idris commended a traveller who reported himself early after returning from Kigali, noting that swift hospital response and coordination helped minimise public risk. The agency urged Nigerians to seek medical care promptly, practice good hygiene, and report unusual symptoms through official hotlines.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where at least 16 people have died and 68 suspected cases were reported in Bulape, Kasai province. Vaccination for frontline workers and contacts has begun with an initial 400 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, while 45,000 additional doses are expected.
The outbreak, caused by the Zaire species of Ebola virus, is DRC’s 16th since 1976 and comes amid ongoing conflicts that continue to strain the country’s fragile health system.
