The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two additional suspected cases of Ebola virus disease and listed 53 primary contacts for monitoring as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the potential spread of the infection.
The agency’s Director-General, Jide Idris, disclosed this on Sunday during a press briefing in Abuja, where he provided an update on the country’s response to the disease.
Idris said isolation and quarantine facilities had been established to support the management of suspected cases and exposed individuals.
“We have established two additional suspected cases and 53 primary contact links. They are primary contacts. We have an isolation centre and a quarantine centre,” he said.
He also disclosed that about 12 public and private laboratories were available to conduct Ebola tests, noting that the NCDC had strengthened its laboratory capacity to facilitate the prompt investigation of suspected infections.
According to the agency, surveillance activities have been intensified nationwide, with public health teams working to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the confirmed case.
The contacts are being monitored for 21 days after their last possible exposure, in line with the established public health response.
Idris urged healthcare facilities across the country to strengthen screening procedures, patient triage and infection prevention measures. He also stressed the need to ensure that healthcare workers have adequate personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of transmission.
The NCDC further appealed to Nigerians contacted by public health officials to cooperate with contact-tracing teams and provide accurate information about their movements, interactions and any symptoms they may experience.
The agency said these measures were essential to identifying potential infections early and preventing further spread.
The latest development comes amid heightened public health surveillance following the confirmation of an Ebola case. The two newly identified cases were described as suspected, and no test results confirming them were provided in the briefing.