Enugu and Kano activate Ebola response centres after Abuja case

Two states have moved to guard against Ebola after the Federal Government confirmed a case in Abuja. Enugu and Kano both say they have activated their public health emergency operations centres, though neither has reported a case of its own.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said the patient is a woman with a travel history to Uganda in East Africa. She is receiving care in isolation, and contact tracing has begun, with 44 contacts identified so far.

For ordinary Nigerians, the message from both states is the same: there is no need to panic, but anyone with a sudden fever and other warning signs should not treat themselves at home.

Enugu focuses on its airport

Enugu State's Commissioner for Health, Professor George Ugwu, told SaharaReporters that the state had already been working with airport authorities and other entry points before the Abuja case was confirmed.

"We have already activated our emergency operation centre," Ugwu said, adding that the state would now intensify its readiness.

Enugu is considered high risk by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), partly because of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, a gateway for travellers from abroad. The state has designated an isolation facility for any suspected case, and health officials are monitoring travellers at the airport.

In June, Ugwu met airport stakeholders, including the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Port Health Services, over gaps in surveillance. His experience during Nigeria's 2014 Ebola containment informed his appointment by the Federal Government as a member of the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Prevention.

Kano lists rules for residents

In Kano, the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Professor Muhammad Adamu-Abbas, said the centre is on high alert.

"There is no need to panic, but we must all be careful and act quickly," he said in a public advisory.

He warned residents not to self-medicate at pharmacies or drug shops, and not to board buses, taxis or keke when they fall ill, so as not to expose others. A sick person should be isolated in a private room at once.

Adamu-Abbas listed the signs to watch for: sudden high fever, extreme weakness, severe headache, body and joint pains, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain and unexplained bleeding.

He said Ebola spreads when an infected person's blood or body fluids touch the eyes, nose, mouth or a wound, or through contact with their clothes, bedding or surfaces. He advised handwashing with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds, not touching sick people or dead bodies, avoiding bushmeat, and cooking meat well.

Residents who develop fever after travelling or meeting a sick person should call KNCDC on 07077974504, email [email protected], or contact their local government disease surveillance officer. He also directed public, private, faith-based and military hospitals to enforce infection prevention and control strictly.

What happens next depends on whether more cases are found. For now, both states say they are watching and preparing rather than treating.