YOBE ACTIVATES EMERGENCY RESPONSE OVER EBOLA, ASSURES RESIDENTS

The Yobe State Government has activated its public health emergency response system following a reported imported Ebola case in Nigeria, while assuring residents that no case has been recorded in the state.

Speaking at a press briefing in Damaturu on Monday, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, Hadiza Sabo, said the move was a precaution to strengthen preparedness and prevent the disease from spreading.

According to Sabo, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case on October 20, 2026. She said it involved a diplomat who travelled from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

The patient, she said, was receiving treatment in isolation, while the NCDC had activated its national incident management system.

Sabo disclosed that 53 close contacts had been identified and were being monitored as of October 24. These included healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people connected to the patient’s travel.

She added that 46 exposed persons had been placed on a 21-day no-fly list as a precaution.

Although she said the NCDC had classified the risk of Ebola importation as high, Sabo noted that there was no evidence of community transmission in Nigeria.

She said Governor Mai Mala Buni had directed the activation of the state’s emergency management system and the development of a comprehensive preparedness and response plan.

Yobe’s measures include mobilising emergency response teams, establishing isolation facilities and strengthening contact tracing. The government maintained that the steps were aimed at protecting residents and ensuring the state could respond quickly if necessary.