Nigeria intensifies border screening and preparedness against Ebola amid East and Central Africa outbreak
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Nigeria's federal government has heightened health screening at airports, seaports, and land borders in response to the ongoing Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease outbreak in East and Central Africa. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirmed there are no current Ebola cases in Nigeria but emphasized activated nationwide preparedness measures. These measures include mandatory temperature checks, health declaration forms, and intensified risk profiling for all incoming travelers. High-risk individuals or those showing symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fevers will undergo secondary screening, isolation, and referral. The government has also reinforced surveillance systems across the country, activated Public Health Emergency Operations Centres, and placed Rapid Response Teams on standby. Healthcare facilities are directed to strengthen infection prevention and control, improve triage systems, and promptly report suspected cases. Nigerians are advised to maintain hand hygiene, avoid contact with symptomatic individuals' bodily fluids, and report unusual illnesses to health authorities. This vigilance echoes past public health responses, including Nigeria's successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
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BreakingOver 5,000 people died in the twin earthquakes that hit Venezuela last month, according to National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes, which occurred within a minute of each other on June 24, primarily affected the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas. Rodriguez stated that 5,069 people were killed, with most fatalities in the coastal region. The number of injured remains at 16,740, with many already discharged from hospitals. Approximately 20,000 individuals were displaced by the quakes and are now residing in overcrowded camps, many of which lack adequate water and sanitation facilities.
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