By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
Following a recent outbreak of Sudan Strain Ebola virus disease entrance into Uganda, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, has declared that Nigeria is at a high risk at importing the virus into the country.
The Sudan Strain Ebola virus disease was officially declared on 20th September, 2022 and on 29th October 2022 the Ugandan Ministry of Health reported 128 confirmed cases and 34 deaths.
In a Public Health Advisory following declaration of Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in Uganda issued by the NCDC on Monday, October 31st, 2022, stated that data emanating from risk assessment conducted the National Emerging Viral Haemorrhagic Disease Technical Working Group has shown that there is risk of importation of the EVD to Nigeria .
Based on available data and risk assessment conducted, Nigeria is at HIGH risk of importation of the virus.
NCDC stated, ” This risk is due to the large volume of air travel between Nigeria and Uganda and the mixing of passengers, especially at the regional travel hubs of Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Kigali airports and the additional risk from other neighbouring countries that share a direct border with Uganda should cases arise in other countries in the region.”
The diseases control agency said that outputs from this risk assessment are being used to initiate preparedness activities in-country, while several measures have been put in place to prevent and mitigate the impact of a potential EVD outbreak in Nigeria.
However , the NCDC has advised Nigerian citizens and residents to AVOID ALL BUT ESSENTIAL TRAVEL to Uganda for now until public health authorities have determined the outbreak to be contained.
When travel to Uganda is unavoidable, travellers are advised to avoid contact with obviously sick persons or suspected cases of Ebola.
Also the agency said the Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health has scaled up the screening of passengers returning from Uganda at POEs.
Information about Ebola: The Ebola virus can be transmitted via direct contact with bodily fluids of a person who is sick with or has died from EVD. The virus can enter the body stream through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth. This can also be spread through contact with objects contaminated by infected persons as well as direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected fruit bats, monkeys, or chimpanzees.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF EVD: Just like other types of Ebola virus, people infected with the Sudan strain cannot spread the disease until the development of symptoms. Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to the virus but are typically 8 to 10 days on average. Symptoms include:Fever, Fatigue,Muscle pain, Headache, Sore throat, Vomiting
Diarrhoea, Rash, Impaired kidney and liver function, others include ,Internal and external bleeding.
