Nigeria has recorded no new Ebola cases 21 days after confirming an imported infection, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said, while surveillance stays in place.

The agency said that, as of 9 November, the country had confirmed only one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, in a traveller from Uganda. The case was first confirmed on 20 October, and the NCDC dashboard showed one confirmed case, no deaths and no affected health workers, according to The Sun Nigeria.

28 contacts still being monitored

Health officials have identified 62 contacts linked to the patient. Of those, 34 had completed their individual 21-day follow-up by 9 November, while 28 remained under monitoring. The NCDC said all 62 contacts had been accounted for, and it expects monitoring of the full group to be completed by 13 November.

NCDC Director-General Dr Jide Idris stressed that the 21-day follow-up is counted separately for each contact, from the date of their last possible exposure, so the three weeks since the case was confirmed should not be read as the end of monitoring for everyone. He also stressed that being listed as a contact does not mean a person has contracted Ebola, Spear News reported.

Surveillance continues as other threats rise

The NCDC said it was continuing contact tracing, laboratory testing, surveillance and infection prevention work with federal and state health authorities, and its national risk level remained high. Anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure should avoid contact with others and call the NCDC toll-free line, 6232, for guidance before visiting a health facility.

Dr Idris also warned of other diseases needing attention ahead of the dry and festive seasons, including dengue fever in Sokoto and Zamfara states, chikungunya in Sokoto, diphtheria, cerebrospinal meningitis and Lassa fever.