Ebola: NCDC Identifies Two More Suspected Cases, 53 Contacts

•FG Approves N100,000 Weekly Stipend for Contacts in Isolation

•Idris Urges Public Cooperation With Contact-Tracing Teams

•Agency Tasks States on Preparedness, Cites Lessons From 2014 Outbreak

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two additional suspected Ebola cases and 53 primary contacts as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, adding that the Federal Government had approved a weekly stipend of N100,000 for people undergoing isolation or quarantine.

Nigeria had recorded one confirmed case as of Sunday following the detection of an imported infection involving a woman who travelled from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

The agency is tracking people who may have been exposed to the virus, while strengthening surveillance, laboratory testing and infection prevention measures to prevent further transmission.

“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,” Idris said.

FG Approves N100,000 Weekly Stipend for Contacts in Isolation

Idris said the government introduced the weekly payment after some people identified as contacts complained about the financial burden of complying with isolation and monitoring requirements.

He explained that the affected individuals raised concerns about the cost of feeding, accommodation and providing for their families while undergoing public health monitoring.

“We are paying for their accommodation; we are paying for their feeding. Some of them are asking for a stipend to maintain their families,” he said.

“We are providing N100,000 per person per week just to maintain their comfort and feeding, because they were complaining.”

The NCDC chief described the payment as an emergency measure that was not included in the initial response plan but became necessary under the circumstances.

“This was not planned for, but it is an emergency. We will continue to review it as we go along,” he said.

The intervention is intended to ease the burden on people required to comply with public health measures and encourage cooperation with contact-tracing teams.

Idris said the agency would continue to assess the situation as the response progressed.

Idris Urges Public Cooperation With Contact-Tracing Teams

The NCDC director-general urged Nigerians contacted by public health officials to cooperate fully with teams investigating possible exposure to the virus.

He called on those under monitoring to provide accurate information about their movements, contacts and symptoms to help health authorities assess their risk and prevent further spread.

The 53 primary contacts include healthcare workers, household members, domestic staff and personnel involved in collecting samples from the confirmed patient.

Health officials are assessing the contacts according to their level of exposure and monitoring them for symptoms throughout the 21-day period after their last possible exposure.

Anyone who develops symptoms will undergo further assessment and testing.

Idris disclosed that one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative for Ebola, while surveillance and follow-up activities continued.

The NCDC has also strengthened laboratory capacity, with about 12 public and private laboratories able to test for the virus, according to the director-general.

The agency is working to improve screening and triage in healthcare facilities and ensure that frontline workers have adequate personal protective equipment.

The confirmed patient developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11. Authorities confirmed the infection on October 20.

The World Health Organisation classified the case as an imported infection, while investigations continued to establish the likely source of exposure.

Agency Tasks States on Preparedness, Cites Lessons From 2014 Outbreak

Idris urged state governments to strengthen their preparedness for public health emergencies, stressing that the response should not be left to the FCT alone.

“This is not the responsibility of the FCT alone. What we have to do for the FCT, we have to do for any other state, just in case,” he said.

He said state governments must provide the resources required for contact tracing, isolation and other interventions within their jurisdictions to ensure a coordinated national response.

The NCDC is also training healthcare workers and supporting the provision of protective equipment and laboratory supplies as part of efforts to strengthen infection prevention and control.

Idris said Nigeria was drawing on its experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when prompt case identification, contact tracing, isolation and coordinated public health interventions helped prevent widespread transmission.

He stressed that containing the current outbreak would require sustained cooperation among government agencies, healthcare workers, people under monitoring and the wider public.

The outbreak has also affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, highlighting the importance of cross-border surveillance and rapid identification of people who may have been exposed to infected individuals.

The NCDC urged Nigerians to rely on verified information and avoid spreading rumours, as health authorities continue to investigate suspected cases, monitor contacts and strengthen preparedness across the country.