Nigeria on alert over new ebola outbreak

Nigerian health authorities have intensified surveillance and emergency response measures following the World Health Organization’s declaration of a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The WHO declaration came amid a sharp rise in Ebola virus infections in the DRC’s northeastern Ituri Province, where health officials say dozens of deaths and hundreds of suspected cases have been recorded. The outbreak has triggered renewed concern across Africa, prompting countries including Nigeria to strengthen border health protocols and preparedness systems.

According to the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the latest outbreak is concentrated in three major health zones in Ituri Province — Mongbwalu, Rwampara, and Bunia.

Mongbwalu, a busy mining region with heavy population movement, was among the first areas to report a surge in infections. Rwampara is currently managing several active cases, while Bunia, the provincial capital, has emerged as a critical concern after a nurse who died in April was identified as a possible index case.

Health authorities say the situation worsened over the weekend as suspected infections increased rapidly and cases spread beyond the DRC’s borders. Uganda confirmed two laboratory-tested Ebola cases linked to travelers arriving from the DRC, including one fatality reported in Kampala.

Medical experts have expressed additional concern over the discovery that the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a variant for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments.

Unlike the more common Zaire strain — responsible for several previous Ebola outbreaks in Central Africa — the Bundibugyo variant presents new challenges for health responders because existing vaccines and therapies were primarily developed for the Zaire species.

Renowned Congolese virologist Jean-Jacques Muyembe warned that the emergence of a different Ebola strain could complicate efforts to contain the disease and protect vulnerable communities.

Despite the growing threat, the WHO has advised countries against shutting borders or restricting trade, instead urging stronger surveillance, rapid testing, contact tracing, and coordinated regional response efforts.

Nigeria, which earned international praise for successfully containing an Ebola outbreak in 2014, is now reinforcing screening procedures at airports, seaports, and land borders, particularly for travelers arriving from Central and East Africa.

Public health officials say emergency response teams have also been placed on alert as authorities work to prevent any possible importation of the virus into the country.

Meanwhile, the Africa CDC has activated its Incident Management Support Team to coordinate laboratory support, contact tracing, logistics, and technical assistance across affected and neighboring countries in a bid to stop the outbreak from escalating into a wider regional crisis.