The Ogun State Government says it has intensified surveillance and emergency preparedness following the confirmation of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The government, however, said no case had been recorded in the state as of Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the state had strengthened its disease monitoring measures since the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an Ebola outbreak in March 2026.
Coker said 111 persons of interest, including travellers from high-risk countries, had been identified and monitored before being discharged from follow-up after completing the required surveillance period.
She said the state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparedness and response efforts to ensure suspected cases could be identified, reported and managed promptly.
“The state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre is also coordinating preparedness and response activities to ensure the prompt identification, reporting and management of any suspected case,” she said.
The commissioner added that surveillance officers, port health personnel, health educators, clinicians and community informants had received training on appropriate response procedures.
According to her, the government had also deployed relevant national guidelines and protocols while intensifying public awareness campaigns and infection prevention measures in healthcare facilities.
Coker urged residents to remain calm, practise preventive measures and rely on information from verified public health authorities rather than spreading unconfirmed reports.
She explained that Ebola is a severe disease that can cause serious illness and death, adding that its early symptoms may be similar to those of other illnesses.
The symptoms, she said, include fever, severe weakness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may also occur.
Coker noted that symptoms could appear between two and 21 days after exposure, stressing that the presence of such symptoms alone did not confirm an Ebola infection.
She advised anyone who might have been exposed to the virus to contact public health authorities immediately for guidance, even if symptoms had not developed.
The commissioner explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, the body of a person who has died from the disease, or materials contaminated with infected fluids.
She urged residents to wash their hands frequently with soap and running water and use alcohol-based hand sanitiser when these are unavailable.
Residents were also warned against contact with the body fluids of suspected cases and sharing potentially contaminated items such as needles and razors.
Coker advised anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure to avoid close contact with others and notify public health authorities before visiting a healthcare facility to ensure safe referral.
She also called for cooperation with surveillance teams, urging residents to provide accurate information when contacted by health officials and comply with public health instructions.
The commissioner warned against touching the bodies of people who die from suspected or confirmed Ebola, noting that trained teams should conduct safe and dignified burials.
She further cautioned against stigmatisation, discrimination and the circulation of rumours, urging residents to share only information from credible sources.
Coker said the state government would continue to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and other relevant partners to monitor developments and protect public health.
She also directed healthcare workers in public and private facilities to maintain a high level of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately notify surveillance officers in their respective local government areas.
Residents can report suspected cases or seek public health guidance through the State Epidemiologist on 08084250881 or the NCDC toll-free line on 6232.
The commissioner emphasised that early detection, prompt reporting and cooperation between residents, healthcare workers and public health authorities were critical to preventing the spread of the disease.
