NCAA Issues Ebola Alert, Directs Enhanced Surveillance At Airports

Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed airlines, airport operators and other aviation stakeholders to "intensify public health surveillance measures" following the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. This directive was issued in a circular dated May 18, 2026.

The NCAA stated the directive became necessary due to growing concerns over the spread of the disease and the critical role of the aviation sector in preventing cross-border transmission. The authority noted that although no confirmed case linked to the outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria, it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Port Health Services and international health organisations to closely monitor the situation. Health authorities in the DRC recently identified a cluster of severe illnesses among healthcare workers in the Bunia Health Zone in the northeastern part of the country. Laboratory investigations later confirmed the presence of the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of the Ebola virus family known to cause severe viral haemorrhagic disease in humans. There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically approved for the Bundibugyo strain, while treatment remains largely supportive and symptom-based.

The NCAA listed symptoms associated with Ebola Virus Disease to include sudden fever, severe fatigue, persistent headache, vomiting, abdominal pain and bleeding manifestations such as nosebleeds or vomiting blood. The authority stressed that early detection and immediate reporting remain critical to preventing the international spread of the disease.