By NewsDesk @bactiman63
The west African country of Guinea declared an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak last week on Feb. 14 and to date seven cases and 5 deaths have been reported.
2,019 kilometers away in Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) issued a Public Health Advisory.
The NCDC has an existing multisectoral National Emerging Viral Hemorrhagic Diseases Working Group (EVHDWG). This group coordinates preparedness efforts for EVD and other emerging viral hemorrhagic diseases. The EVHDWG has carried out a risk assessment on the possibility of transmission of the virus to Nigeria. Given the proximity of Guinea to Nigeria and other West African countries as well as other indicators, Nigeria has been placed at moderate risk of an EVD outbreak. The outputs from this risk assessment are being used to initiate preparedness activities in-country.
Several measures have been put in place to prevent and mitigate the impact of a potential EVD outbreak in Nigeria. A National Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) operating from NCDC’s Incident Coordination Centre (ICC) is on alert mode. There is a team of first responders on standby, ready to be deployed within 24 hours in the event of an EVD outbreak in Nigeria. They have also established testing capacity for EVD at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory. The NCDC will continue working with states to strengthen preparedness activities across the country.
The Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health has scaled up screening at points of entry. The NCDC will also scale up risk communications and other activities.
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