The Ogun State Government has intensified surveillance and preparedness measures following the reported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring residents that no infection had been recorded in the state as of Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the state had been on heightened alert since the declaration of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in March 2026.
Coker urged residents to remain vigilant, observe preventive measures and avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic.
According to her, 111 persons of interest, comprising passengers 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 activities to ensure the prompt identification, reporting and management of suspected cases.
The commissioner added that the government had strengthened the capacity of Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, port health officers, health educators, clinicians and community informants through training on appropriate response procedures.
She said relevant national guidelines, protocols and resource materials had also been adapted and deployed to guide the state’s response, while public sensitisation and infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities were being intensified.
Explaining the nature of the disease, Coker said Ebola was a serious illness that could cause severe complications and death, adding that its early symptoms might resemble those of other common illnesses.
She listed the symptoms to include fever, severe weakness, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising could also occur in some cases.
According to her, symptoms could develop between two and 21 days after exposure to the virus.
She, however, cautioned that experiencing these symptoms did not automatically mean a person had Ebola, stressing that prompt professional assessment was essential, particularly for individuals who might have been exposed to the virus or travelled to high-risk areas.
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 someone who has died from the disease, or materials contaminated with such fluids.
She advised residents to wash their hands regularly with soap and running water and use alcohol-based hand sanitisers when soap and water were unavailable.
Residents were also cautioned against contact with the blood and body fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease, as well as sharing needles, razors and other items that could be contaminated.
Coker urged anyone who might have been exposed to Ebola to contact public health authorities promptly without waiting for symptoms to develop.
She further advised individuals who developed symptoms after possible exposure to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities before visiting a healthcare facility to enable safe referral to an appropriate medical centre.
The commissioner called on residents to cooperate with surveillance and follow-up teams, provide accurate information when contacted by public health officials and comply with relevant public health guidelines.
She also warned against touching the bodies of people who died from suspected or confirmed Ebola, stressing that safe and dignified burials must be handled by trained teams.
Coker cautioned against rumours, discrimination and stigmatisation, urging residents to obtain and share information only from verified public health sources.
She said the state government would continue to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and other relevant partners to monitor developments and implement appropriate measures to protect public health.
The commissioner urged healthcare workers in public and private facilities to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control protocols, and immediately notify the state surveillance team through Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in their respective local government areas.
She provided the contact number of the State Epidemiologist as 08084250881 and the NCDC toll-free line as 6232 for reporting suspected cases and obtaining public health guidance.
Coker said early detection, timely reporting and cooperation among residents, healthcare workers and public health authorities were essential to preventing the spread of the disease.
