Lagos moves to calm residents amid Ebola outbreak scare

Lagos State Government has assured residents that there is no immediate threat from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa, stating that its emergency response and disease surveillance systems remain fully active and ready to respond to any potential health risk.

The reassurance was conveyed by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement issued by the Lagos State Government after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed relevant agencies to strengthen surveillance and emergency response measures over the evolving outbreak.

According to the commissioner, the outbreak has so far resulted in about 177 deaths from nearly 700 suspected cases and is currently limited to Congo and Uganda.

He noted that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), largely due to the difficult terrain in the affected countries, which may hamper local and international response efforts.

Abayomi, speaking on behalf of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, said no suspected or confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease has been detected in Lagos.

He explained that the state has developed a strong and resilient biosecurity system over the years, designed to ensure continuous preparedness and response to infectious diseases such as Ebola, Lassa Fever and Influenza.

The commissioner highlighted the Lagos State Incident Command System (ICS), led directly by Governor Sanwo-Olu as Incident Commander, as a key component of the state’s emergency response framework.

According to him, the structure enables the swift mobilisation of government resources and ensures effective coordination during public health emergencies.