LunagisthubNigeria Tightens Border Control Amid Fresh Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo
The Federal Government has intensified monitoring and screening procedures at all points of entry to prevent the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria. This move comes after health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo declared an outbreak in Kasai Province, where 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths, including four health workers, have been reported .
The Director of Port Health Services at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Akpan Nse, stated that .
– All inbound travelers from Congo are thoroughly screened, and their medical history is collected through mandatory forms.
– Passengers on flights, seaports, and land borders are screened upon arrival.
-More staff have been recruited to enhance surveillance and prevent the importation of the virus.
The World Health Organization has released $500,000 from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies to support the response to the Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo. The organization has also deployed staff to Kasai Province to rapidly strengthen disease surveillance, treatment, and infection prevention and control .
Ebola is a rare but severe and often fatal illness in humans, transmitted through:
With bodily fluids of infected animals or people.
Objects contaminated with infected bodily fluids.
Bodies of people who died from the disease.
Symptoms of Ebola include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and eventually, internal and external bleeding. The disease has a high mortality rate, varying from 25% to 90% depending on the strain and quality of care received.
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