Nigeria Tightens Ebola Screening After Abuja Case Confirmed

The Federal Government of Nigeria is addressing renewed concerns over Ebola containment by tightening screening protocols at entry points. This decision follows reported breaches of these protocols and the confirmation of an imported case in Abuja.

The Office of the National Security Adviser raised concerns about non-compliance, prompting the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to direct relevant agencies to document and report any breaches. Meanwhile, the Ugandan Ministry of Health stated that the traveler who tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus disease in Nigeria did not exhibit symptoms when she left Uganda.

The ministry is conducting investigations to determine when the woman developed symptoms and the circumstances of her infection. The World Health Organisation has also initiated a clinical trial of vaccine candidates against the Bundibugyo strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo.