FAAN activates airport health surveillance as Ebola case is confirmed in FCT

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it is working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other relevant agencies to support the ongoing containment efforts following the confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Recall that the federal government confirmed one case of the disease in the FCT on Tuesday (yesterday).

The coordinating minister of health and social welfare, Prof Mohammed Pate, said in a statement that the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda “is currently in isolation and receiving medical care at a private hospital.”

He said the patient was asymptomatic when she entered Nigeria and developed symptoms after arriving in the country.

“The federal government calls on all public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to be on high alert.

“Healthcare workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities,” the minister said.

In its response, FAAN said in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Henry Agbebire that “it 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.”

It said early identification of the case and commencement of contact tracing underscore the importance of established public health protocols, effective surveillance and inter-agency collaboration in responding to potential health threats.

“The Authority urges passengers, airport users, airlines and other stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials. The public is also advised to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports.

“FAAN reassures the travelling public of its continued readiness to work with relevant agencies to protect public health and support the safe operation of Nigeria’s airports,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the minister announced that contact tracing of the incident case had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far.

He said the 44 contacts, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts, were being isolated at a designated facility in Abuja, while public health teams identify and monitor people who may have been exposed.

Pate who disclosed this on Tuesday evening during an NTA interview, said the 44 people will remain in isolation for at least three weeks.

“They remain in communication with their families by phone and other ways, but not physical contact, until we clarify who is infected and who is not,” he said.

Pate further said authorities were treating the case as an imported infection and not community transmission.

“At this moment, we are treating it as an imported case, not community transmission,” he said, adding that the situation could change if the virus begins to spread beyond the known contacts.

The minister further said Nigeria had been conducting risk-based surveillance at points of entry for the past five months through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and Port Health Services.