The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed 10 states on red alert following the outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In an advisory issued on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the NCDC warned that Nigeria faces a high risk of importing the virus through international travel and cross-border movement.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had earlier declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), raising fears across several African countries.
Although Nigeria has not recorded any confirmed case, the Federal Government has directed all states to immediately strengthen surveillance systems and emergency response measures.
States classified as high-risk include Rivers, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba, and Adamawa, while Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, and Plateau were listed under moderate risk.
According to the NCDC, Uganda and the DRC have already recorded more than 1,000 suspected infections and 247 deaths, with young and middle-aged people mostly affected.
Health authorities also warned that unlike some other Ebola variants, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, making early detection and swift containment extremely important.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected body fluids, contaminated objects, or infected animals, but experts stressed that it is not airborne. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and unexplained bleeding.
Meanwhile, the NCDC has activated its Emergency Operations Centre and ordered all states to submit readiness reports within 72 hours, while suspected cases must be reported immediately.
Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, urged relevant authorities to act proactively before the virus finds its way into the country.
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