The World Health Organisation has said Nigeria currently faces a low risk of an Ebola outbreak, despite the growing health emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Chikwe Ihekweazu, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday.
According to him, Uganda remains the only country outside the DRC that has officially recorded Ebola infections, while Nigeria has not reported any confirmed cases linked to the current outbreak.
“Uganda is the only country with confirmed Ebola cases outside the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigeria’s risk is low,” Ihekweazu said.
He, however, cautioned that the outbreak remains a serious global public health concern and requires sustained international cooperation to prevent further spread.
“This Ebola outbreak is serious and requires an internationally coordinated response. It has already spread to other countries,” he stated.
Ihekweazu explained that the scale of the outbreak prompted health authorities to classify it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern a designation reserved for major health events that pose risks across national borders.
“It is only the ninth time in history that an outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern,” he said.
The former Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention noted that Ebola has met the criteria for such a declaration on only three occasions.
“This is the third time Ebola has met this criterion. There are over 300 confirmed cases spread throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he added.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that affects humans and other primates. It spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials and has been responsible for several deadly outbreaks across Africa.
Meanwhile, the DRC continues to battle a major Ebola epidemic that has reportedly claimed at least 246 lives in the country and neighbouring Uganda, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
As part of containment measures, authorities in the DRC suspended commercial flights to and from Bunia Airport in the eastern province of Ituri on May 23, allowing only humanitarian and medical flights to operate.
Health experts have continued to urge countries in the region to strengthen surveillance systems, maintain preparedness measures, and monitor travellers arriving from affected areas to prevent cross-border transmission of the disease.
