The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has expanded its health declaration requirement for international travellers after confirming an Ebola case within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The company’s Director-General, Jide Idris, introduced the choice throughout a media briefing in Abuja on Sunday.
Mr Idris mentioned the requirement initially utilized to international travellers however was later restricted to passengers arriving from chosen nations linked to the Ebola outbreak, together with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
“But with this case, we have reversed that directive,” he mentioned.
He mentioned the NCDC had despatched advisories to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), and anticipated additional directions to information implementation in collaboration with airways.
Airport screening
Mr Idris mentioned Nigeria’s preparedness measures had centered on 5 international airports: Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt.
He mentioned Port Health Services was working with aviation personnel, immigration and customs officers to strengthen preparedness and screening on the nation’s factors of entry.
According to Mr Idris, the NCDC must coordinate with aviation authorities as a result of it doesn’t independently management airport operations.
He mentioned businesses had been working collectively to implement the required measures, whereas immigration and customs officers had been concerned at land borders.
Mr Idris additionally acknowledged operational challenges at Lagos airport, the place ongoing building had created difficulties. He mentioned the NCDC would interact FAAN and the NCAA to deal with points affecting Port Health Services’ work.
He added that entry to restricted airport areas should comply with established safety procedures.
Ebola response
The revised screening measures type a part of Nigeria’s response to a confirmed case of Ebola illness brought on by the Bundibugyo virus within the FCT on 20 October.
As PREMIUM TIMES reported, the affected person is a 42-year-old Ugandan girl who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda on 3 October. She developed signs on 6 October and sought medical consideration earlier than her an infection was confirmed.
At Sunday’s briefing, Mr Idris said health authorities had recognized 53 major contacts linked to the affected person. These comprise 44 individuals related to the health facility the place she obtained remedy and 9 extra contacts, together with family members. They attended to her at one other facility and had been members of the FCT staff that collected samples.
He mentioned contact tracing was ongoing and that officers had been monitoring the recognized contacts.
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Health officers are following up with contacts for 21 days, the utmost incubation interval for Ebola, to establish any signs which may point out an infection.
Mr Idris appealed to Nigerians recognized as contacts to cooperate with public health officers, stressing that being recognized as a contact doesn’t imply an individual has Ebola.
The NCDC can be strengthening an infection prevention and management measures in healthcare services, supporting laboratory capability and offering public health info to counter rumours and misinformation.
The company urged Nigerians to depend on verified info from authorised public health sources and cooperate with response measures as investigations proceed.
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