The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed the country on high alert after the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed a fresh outbreak of Ebola virus disease in its central Kasai Province. This marks the sixteenth outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified there in 1976, a reminder of the persistent threat Ebola continues to pose in the region.
Health authorities in Kinshasa reported twenty-eight suspected cases and fifteen deaths, including four health workers, as of September 4, 2025. The outbreak is centred in the Bulape and Mweka health zones, where patients presented with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and haemorrhage. Samples analysed at the National Institute of Biomedical Research confirmed the cause as the Ebola Zaire strain, the deadliest of the five known Ebola species. The estimated mortality rate currently stands at fifty-seven per cent, although investigations are still ongoing.
DRC Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba confirmed this is the first time Ebola has been detected in the central Kasai Province. He said the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre has been activated and a National Rapid Response Team, supported by the World Health Organisation, has been deployed to strengthen surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention, and case management in the affected communities.
In response, the NCDC has emphasised that there are no confirmed Ebola cases in Nigeria at the moment. However, surveillance has been heightened at airports, land borders, seaports, health facilities, and within communities across the country. Director General Jide Idris explained that the country will continue to monitor developments closely, stressing that Nigeria’s current state of preparedness is strong.
He pointed out that an approved vaccine, Ervebo, is available for the Zaire strain and has been shown to provide effective protection. The NCDC advisory reiterated that Nigeria remains vigilant and ready, with coordinated systems in place to manage any potential importation of the virus.
Nigeria’s experience with the 2014 Ebola outbreak remains a reference point for effective epidemic response worldwide. When Ebola entered the country through a traveller from Liberia, health authorities acted swiftly with strict isolation measures, contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns that educated citizens on preventive behaviour. Only twenty confirmed cases and eight deaths were recorded, and by October 20, 2014, the World Health Organisation declared Nigeria Ebola-free.
The DRC has not been as fortunate. Recurrent outbreaks have plagued the country, with the 2018–2020 Kivu epidemic ranking as the second-largest in history. That outbreak claimed more than two thousand lives from over three thousand four hundred cases. Unlike Nigeria’s contained episode, the DRC’s response was complicated by conflict, insecurity, and community mistrust, which hindered medical interventions and prolonged the crisis. The contrast highlights the importance of political stability, health infrastructure, and public trust in containing deadly epidemics.
Ebola virus disease, once known as Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever, is a severe and often fatal illness with a case fatality rate that can range between twenty-five and ninety per cent. The Zaire strain, responsible for the current outbreak in DRC, has historically recorded the highest mortality.
Infection often begins with exposure to infected animals such as fruit bats, monkeys, or apes, especially during butchering or consumption. The virus also spreads between humans through contact with blood, saliva, vomit, urine, semen, and other body fluids, which can enter through cuts in the skin or mucous membranes. Traditional burial practices, where mourners touch the bodies of the deceased, have also contributed significantly to transmission during previous outbreaks.
The incubation period ranges from two to twenty-one days. Symptoms usually start with sudden fever, weakness, headache, sore throat, and muscle pain, followed by diarrhoea, vomiting, and sometimes yellowing of the eyes. In severe cases, uncontrolled bleeding, organ failure, and shock may occur. In fatal cases, death often follows within eight to nine days after symptoms appear.
The NCDC has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive practices. Hand hygiene remains essential, with citizens encouraged to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitiser where water is unavailable. Avoiding contact with individuals showing unexplained fever, diarrhoea, or bleeding is critical. People are also advised to refrain from handling bushmeat or consuming it undercooked, and to avoid contact with the bodily fluids of suspected or confirmed Ebola patients.
Healthcare workers have been urged to maintain a high level of suspicion for patients presenting with compatible symptoms. They are expected to adhere to strict infection prevention measures, including immediate isolation of suspected cases, proper use of protective equipment such as gloves, gowns, and masks, and safe handling of medical waste. All suspected cases must be reported promptly to the NCDC or state health authorities.
The NCDC has advised against non-essential travel to countries currently experiencing Ebola outbreaks. Nigerians who have recently travelled to affected areas or transited through them are asked to monitor themselves for symptoms for at least twenty-one days. If symptoms develop, they are expected to immediately call 6232 or state health hotlines, avoid public transport, and wait for trained responders to arrange safe assessment and transport to appropriate treatment centres.
According to the World Health Organisation and the Pan American Health Organisation, the average fatality rate of Ebola is around fifty per cent, although this varies depending on the timeliness and quality of care. One of the major advances in recent years has been the development of the Ervebo vaccine. Data from the 2018–2020 outbreak in the DRC showed that mortality dropped from fifty-six per cent among unvaccinated patients to twenty-five per cent among those vaccinated. This evidence demonstrates the significant role vaccination can play in cutting Ebola deaths nearly in half.
While no universal cure exists, early recognition of cases, prompt isolation, and supportive care remain essential in reducing both deaths and transmission. Strong infection control within hospitals and communities, coupled with contact tracing and safe burial practices, continues to be the most effective strategy.
