health
Ebola: NCDC Offers ₦100,000 Weekly Support to Contacts in Isolation
Nigeria plans Ebola treatment centres in high-risk states as identified contacts rise to 53, with the NCDC offering ₦100,000 weekly support
The Federal Government has begun plans to identify and equip Ebola treatment centres in states with designated ports of entry as the number of contacts linked to Nigeria’s confirmed case rises to 53.
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The measures are part of efforts to strengthen the country’s preparedness against a possible spread of the disease, with health authorities assessing isolation capacity at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and planning an infection prevention and control assessment at Karu General Hospital in Abuja.
According to an Ebola situation report obtained on Sunday, the government is also working to establish referral arrangements for suspected cases, improve surveillance at international entry points and strengthen healthcare facilities’ ability to manage possible infections.
The development comes as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) introduced a weekly payment of ₦100,000 per person to support individuals placed in isolation or quarantine.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said the financial intervention followed complaints from contacts about the cost of feeding, accommodation and providing for their families while complying with public health monitoring requirements.
The situation report stated that the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital had undergone a needs assessment and optimisation to prepare it for isolation and treatment.
An infection prevention and control assessment is also planned for Karu General Hospital to determine its capacity to accommodate a possible increase in isolation requirements.
The government intends to identify and improve treatment facilities in states with designated ports of entry, ensuring that suspected cases detected outside the Federal Capital Territory can be referred promptly for appropriate care.
The report noted that referral arrangements would cover the movement of suspected cases from the point of detection to designated treatment centres.
The authorities are also strengthening infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities to minimise the risk of transmission to health workers, patients and others who may come into contact with suspected cases.
The planned measures include an infection prevention and control ring strategy designed to strengthen screening and isolation within designated areas.
The NCDC introduced the weekly payment after some contacts raised concerns about the financial difficulties associated with isolation and quarantine.
Idris explained that some individuals required assistance with feeding, accommodation and the cost of maintaining their families while under monitoring.
“We are paying for their accommodation; we are paying for their feeding. Some of them are asking for a stipend to maintain their families,” he said.
He added that the agency was providing ₦100,000 per person weekly to support their welfare during the period.
“This was not planned for, but it is an emergency. We will continue to review it as we go along,” Idris said.
The NCDC chief stressed that the responsibility for supporting contacts and managing public health emergencies should not rest solely with the FCT.
He urged state governments to make adequate financial and logistical provisions for contact tracing, isolation, surveillance and other emergency response activities.
“This is not the responsibility of the FCT alone. What we have to do for the FCT, we have to do for any other state, just in case,” he said.
The situation report stated that 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified, listed and categorised, with contact tracing and monitoring continuing.
The figure represents an increase from the initial 44 contacts announced after the case was reported in the FCT.
According to Idris, 44 of the 53 primary contacts were associated with the health facility where the patient received treatment. The remaining nine included household members and people who attended to her during an earlier visit to an emergency room.
Health officials are also identifying secondary contacts to determine whether any of the individuals already under monitoring may have exposed others.
Idris said the authorities would establish whom each contact had interacted with and monitor any additional people identified through the investigation.
The NCDC said contacts would be monitored daily, with anyone developing symptoms assessed promptly.
One contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative, Idris disclosed, although surveillance and follow-up activities were continuing.
The agency has also revised its case definition for Ebola disease to help healthcare workers and surveillance teams identify suspected infections more effectively.
The criteria include people with sudden fever and specified symptoms who have relevant travel or epidemiological links, individuals with unexplained bleeding, and people who develop symptoms after contact with a confirmed or probable case.
Community members have also been urged to report unexplained deaths and symptoms suggestive of Ebola, particularly where possible exposure is involved.
The NCDC’s National Reference Laboratory and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases have completed genomic sequencing of the confirmed case, according to the situation report.
The next steps include sharing the sequencing report, continuing diagnostic testing and maintaining laboratory records.
The NCDC also plans to distribute additional laboratory reagents and supplies across the national laboratory network to support testing for Ebola virus disease.
The government is strengthening healthcare workers’ capacity through training and sensitisation, particularly in facilities that may be required to identify, stabilise or refer suspected cases.
Idris acknowledged that infection prevention and control expertise at state and local levels needed improvement, describing training as a key priority in preparing the country for infectious disease emergencies.
The report also stated that the national stockpile of personal protective equipment and other essential supplies had been increased.
An additional 500 donated laboratory testing kits had been incorporated into the stockpile, with more protective equipment and essential commodities expected to be positioned in high-risk states.
The government is expanding surveillance at airports and other ports of entry as part of efforts to detect potential infections early.
According to the report, Port Health Services had conducted an investigation with aviation stakeholders, while enhanced surveillance across all designated entry points would continue.
Authorities are also strengthening public communication and community engagement to address misinformation and encourage cooperation with contact-tracing teams.
The NCDC urged Nigerians to rely on official information, avoid spreading rumours and cooperate with public health officials.
The confirmed case involves a woman who travelled to Nigeria after visiting Uganda, following a trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to information previously provided by health authorities, she developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11 and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus on October 20.
The World Health Organisation has said investigations are continuing to establish the likely source of the infection.
Ebola can spread through direct contact with the blood, body fluids or tissues of infected people or animals, as well as contaminated materials.
Health authorities have therefore advised Nigerians to maintain good hand hygiene and avoid direct contact with the bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease.
The NCDC also warned against stigmatising people placed under monitoring, stressing that their cooperation with public health authorities is essential to containing the outbreak.
Also read: Deadly Nigeria Floods Kill 245, Displace 214,997
The Federal Government said continued coordination among federal and state authorities, healthcare facilities and response partners would be crucial to identifying and managing suspected cases promptly.
Ogun gas emissions have reportedly led to over 300 hospitalisations since April, raising concerns over school safety and the unresolved source
More than 300 students and teachers have reportedly received hospital treatment following recurring incidents involving an unusual gaseous odour in Ogun State between April and October 2026.
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The incidents, concentrated around Ijebu-Ode and neighbouring communities, have repeatedly disrupted school activities, with students reportedly experiencing breathing difficulties, weakness, vomiting and fainting.
Although the Ogun State Government previously linked the incidents to underground geological activity and reported detecting methane in affected locations, the precise source of the recurring emissions remains unresolved.
The latest episode, reported on October 21, affected schools across Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye, renewing concerns about the safety of pupils, teachers and residents.
Here is a timeline of the reported incidents and the response from authorities.
April 1: First Reported Incident
The first major incident occurred on April 1 at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Epe Garage, Ijebu-Ode.
According to The PUNCH, at least 30 students and one teacher were taken to hospital after an unusual gaseous substance reportedly spread across the school shortly after morning assembly.
Some students reportedly collapsed, vomited or experienced difficulty breathing.
They were taken to the General Hospital in Ijebu-Ode for treatment.
At the time, the Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, said the substance responsible had not been conclusively identified.
Initial concerns included the possibility of fumes from a school laboratory or another nearby source.
On April 2, the state government ordered the school to close temporarily and directed security agencies to investigate.
Governor Dapo Abiodun also ordered the establishment of a situation room at the General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, to coordinate the provision of free treatment for affected students and residents.
Reports indicated that those hospitalised were responding to treatment, with no deaths recorded during the incident.
May 15: Second Incident Affects More Than 100 People
A second major episode was reported on May 15, when more than 100 students and teachers across several schools in Ijebu-Ode were reportedly affected.
The schools included Anglican Girls Grammar School in Obalende and Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School in Epe Garage.
Witnesses described students complaining of stomach pain, weakness and breathing difficulties, with some collapsing and requiring assistance to reach medical facilities.
The growing number of affected people prompted renewed questions about the source of the emissions and whether the initial response had adequately addressed the danger.
The state government subsequently announced that air-quality monitoring equipment had detected elevated methane concentrations in parts of Ijebu-Ode.
Officials reported peak readings of approximately 13,500 parts per million in surrounding locations.
The government said the readings were below the lower explosive limit but still required environmental investigation.
However, a reading below that limit does not automatically establish that an atmosphere is safe to breathe, particularly where oxygen displacement or other hazards may be present.
Authorities also announced a multi-agency assessment involving environmental regulators, emergency responders and technical experts.
On May 17, the Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, said all patients admitted to the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode following the incident had been discharged.
Coker explained that methane could displace oxygen and contribute to symptoms such as fatigue, a rapid heartbeat and breathing difficulties, depending on exposure conditions.
The government also outlined plans to strengthen emergency medical support in the area, including deploying ambulance teams and training teachers and interested parents to act as community first responders.
June 3: Third Incident Sends 69 Students to Hospital
Another episode occurred on June 3 at Our Lady of Apostles Secondary School, where students reportedly became unwell after noticing an unusual odour.
The PUNCH reported that 69 students were hospitalised following the incident.
Coker later confirmed that all 69 students had been discharged after receiving medical attention.
Most reportedly left hospital on June 3, while the remaining seven, who stayed overnight, were discharged the following day after their conditions improved.
The incident was reported as the third major occurrence in the area within approximately two months, intensifying anxiety among parents, teachers and residents.
Oresanya said government-installed gas analysers had detected methane in affected locations.
Reports identified several schools affected by or linked to the wider series of incidents, including Our Lady of the Apostles Secondary School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Titilayo Agbaje Comprehensive High School in Imosan, Ifesowapo Comprehensive High School in Imosan and St Anthony Grammar School in the Ijebu-Imushin area.
The state government also announced plans for the temporary relocation of students from an affected school while investigations continued.
By June, officials had put forward a possible geological explanation, suggesting that underground gases could be escaping through fractures associated with geological and tectonic fault lines.
The government ruled out sabotage and gas pipeline leaks as explanations for the earlier incidents.
However, those assurances did not resolve concerns about why the emissions continued to recur.
October 21: Fresh Emissions Affect Three Communities
The latest reported episode occurred on October 21, with incidents recorded across parts of Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo and Ago-Iwoye.
More than 100 students across several secondary schools were reportedly hospitalised after exposure to an offensive gaseous substance.
The affected schools included Anglican Girls Grammar School in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Igbo Girls Grammar School and Itamerin Comprehensive High School in Ago-Iwoye, among others.
Students reportedly experienced shortness of breath, stomach discomfort and drowsiness.
Some fainted and were taken to hospitals, while others reportedly required oxygen to stabilise their condition.
Medical facilities receiving affected students included the State Hospital in Ijebu-Ode and the General Hospital in Ijebu-Igbo.
The incident also disrupted lessons, with some schools in Ago-Iwoye reportedly sending students home.
Concerns extended beyond school compounds when the chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area reportedly detected the unusual odour at the council secretariat.
The development raised further questions about the geographical spread of the emissions and the potential risks to people outside the affected schools.
In response, the Ogun State Government said the situation was under control and that investigations were underway to determine the source and extent of the latest emissions.
Oresanya linked the episode to previous underground gas emissions reported in the Ijebu axis since April.
A team from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission also joined the assessment.
However, reports published on October 21 did not establish a definitive cause for the latest incident.
The repeated episodes have raised questions about whether the incidents share a common source, why they continue to occur and what measures are needed to prevent further exposure.
In June, the state government attributed previous incidents to a possible natural geological process through which underground gases escape along fractures in the earth.
It also ruled out sabotage and pipeline leaks as explanations for those earlier episodes.
However, the underlying investigation had not produced a publicly confirmed, lasting explanation by the time of the latest reported incident.
TheCable reported on October 21 that the investigation initiated in June had remained incomplete as of September, citing information obtained after contacting the Commissioner for Environment.
The recurrence has therefore renewed calls for a conclusive scientific assessment, transparent communication of findings and effective protection for schools and nearby communities.
Key questions remain about whether the emissions originate from a shared underground source, what conditions trigger their appearance and how authorities can reliably detect and contain them before people are exposed.
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Until the source and risks are established, the safety of students, teachers and residents remains a central concern.
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