The Yobe State Government has said no case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been recorded in the state, but it has activated its emergency response system following the confirmation of an imported case in the country
The state Ministry of Health and Human Services stated this on Monday during a press briefing at the State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Damaturu
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Hajiya Hadiza Sabo, said the briefing was necessitated by the confirmation of an imported case of EVD in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) on October 20, 2026
She said the case involves a diplomat who travelled into Nigeria from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus
She said the patient is in isolation and receiving care, while the NCDC has activated its national Incident Management System
She said as of October 24, 53 close contacts, including health workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts, have been identified and are being monitored, while 46 exposed persons have been placed on a 21-day no-fly list as a precautionary measure
She said the NCDC has classified the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as HIGH due to increasing regional transmission, international travel and porous borders, but there is currently no evidence of community transmission in the country
She said in line with the national directive and NCDC guidelines, Governor Mai Mala Buni has directed the activation of the Public Health Emergency Incident Management System (IMS) and the development of a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) plan
Sabo said Yobe is among the states that have fully activated emergency response teams, established isolation facilities and intensified contact-tracing for EVD
She said the preparedness is built on the six technical pillars recommended by the NCDC
She said the State EOC has been placed on high alert and multi-pillar coordination meetings have been convened to review the epidemiological situation and ensure a unified command structure in collaboration with NCDC, WHO and UNICEF
Sabo said surveillance has been intensified across the 17 local government areas, with Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers placed on high alert to investigate and verify any rumour or alert, while the contact-tracing system has been strengthened to monitor contacts for 21 days
She said designated isolation and treatment facilities across the three senatorial zones have been equipped with medicines and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), while frontline healthcare workers have been retrained on IPC protocols, safe sample collection and clinical management
She also advised residents to practise good hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water or using alcohol-based sanitiser, to avoid direct contact with blood or bodily fluids of anyone who is sick, and to avoid traditional burial practices that involve direct contact with the deceased
She urged citizens to shun rumours and rely only on verified information from the state Ministry of Health and NCDC, and not to stigmatise persons identified as contacts, saying being identified as a contact does not mean a person has Ebola
She said Yobe State has no case of Ebola but its IMS is fully active and operational to protect the people of the state