Lagos On Alert Over Ebola Surge In Congo, Uganda

…No Cause For Alarm, Commissioner Assures Residents

The Lagos State Government has assured residents that it is closely monitoring the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa, particularly in Congo and Uganda.

According to the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, the state is on heightened surveillance following reports of the outbreak, which has recorded hundreds of suspected cases and significant fatalities across the affected countries.

“We are closely monitoring the evolving Ebola outbreak situation in Central and East Africa,” he said in a statement shared on X on Sunday.

The outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization, due to concerns over cross-border transmission risks and logistical challenges in the affected regions.

Abayomi said the Lagos State Government has strengthened its biosecurity framework to ensure early detection, rapid response, and containment of any potential importation of the virus.

He noted that the state’s Incident Command System, led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, remains fully operational and capable of mobilising emergency response resources at short notice.

The commissioner added that the Emergency Operations Centre continues to monitor disease patterns through surveillance teams and epidemiologists deployed across communities.

Key health infrastructure, including the Lagos State Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba and its Biosafety Level 3 laboratory, remains on standby for testing, diagnosis, and case management of high-risk infectious diseases.

Lagos authorities are also working in coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) to strengthen surveillance at airports, seaports, and land borders.

Community health workers, civil society groups, and local associations have also been activated to enhance early warning reporting at the grassroots level.

Abayomi urged residents to remain calm but vigilant, stressing that no Ebola case has been recorded in Lagos State.

He advised anyone who recently travelled to affected regions or had contact with travellers from Congo or Uganda and is experiencing symptoms to contact emergency lines 767 or 112, or reach the State Epidemiologist via 0802 316 9485.

“There is currently no cause for alarm. Please remain vigilant and stand by for more detailed information this week, as we monitor the situation in the Congo very closely and continue to prepare.

“If you have recently travelled to the affected areas in Congo or Uganda, or you have been in close contact with persons who travelled there and have medical concerns, you may reach out to our emergency numbers,” Abayomi added.

THE WHISTLER reports that so far, no fewer than 177 deaths have been recorded from about 700 suspected cases in Central and East Africa.