The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has intensified surveillance across airport operations following the confirmation of Nigeria’s first Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring travellers of its commitment to protecting public health.
The authority said it was working closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other relevant agencies to support efforts to contain the disease.
FAAN said the early detection of the infection and the commencement of contact tracing underscored the importance of effective surveillance, strict adherence to public health protocols and collaboration among relevant agencies in responding to emerging health threats.
In a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, the authority said it would sustain heightened vigilance and implement additional measures in line with guidance from public health authorities.
“FAAN is maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and will continue to coordinate with public health authorities, align its response with further guidance and support additional measures considered necessary to safeguard passengers, airport personnel and the wider public,” the statement said.
The agency urged passengers, airport users, airlines and other stakeholders to remain calm and cooperate with health officials, while advising Nigerians to rely on verified information and refrain from circulating unconfirmed reports.
FAAN reaffirmed its readiness to work with relevant agencies to safeguard public health and ensure the safe operation of airports nationwide.
The Federal Government on Wednesday confirmed an Ebola case in the FCT, with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announcing the development during a media briefing in Abuja.
Pate said laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently travelled to Uganda before returning to Nigeria.
According to the minister, the woman returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, which worsened four days later before laboratory investigations confirmed the disease.
However, Uganda’s Ministry of Health dismissed reports of an Ebola outbreak in the country, stating that investigations were ongoing to determine where the patient was exposed to the virus.
The ministry maintained that travelling through Uganda alone was insufficient to establish the source of the infection. It also said Nigerian authorities had yet to provide detailed information about the patient’s travel itinerary and clinical history to support further investigations and contact tracing.
The development comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has heightened concerns about the potential spread of the disease across Africa.
Kenya also reported its ninth Ebola case on Tuesday, according to reports.
The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Jean Kaseya, said the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak had become the most geographically widespread in history, affecting multiple countries across three regions of the continent.
The outbreak has intensified concerns among public health authorities over cross-border transmission and the need to strengthen disease surveillance, early detection and emergency response systems.
FAAN’s heightened vigilance is part of broader efforts to protect passengers, airport workers and the general public as Nigeria and other African countries respond to the evolving public health threat.
