NCDC Director‑General Ifedayo Adetifa warned that Nigeria faces a moderate risk of importing Marburg virus disease (MVD) following the first‑ever outbreak in Equatorial Guinea. The extent of the outbreak in Equatorial Guinea remains unclear, but the likelihood of spread in Nigeria is heightened by the upcoming national elections, which will involve large gatherings and increased travel. Direct flights between the two countries and their geographical proximity further raise the risk of importation.
Equatorial Guinea confirmed its initial MVD outbreak on 13 February 2023, reporting nine deaths. Preliminary tests after the fatalities in the western Kie‑Ntem Province indicated a viral haemorrhagic fever, and samples were sent to the Institut Pasteur reference laboratory in Senegal with WHO support to confirm the diagnosis. Marburg virus, a highly virulent pathogen related to Ebola, causes haemorrhagic fever with a case‑fatality ratio of up to 88 percent. Symptoms begin abruptly with high fever, severe headache, and malaise, and many patients develop severe haemorrhagic manifestations within seven days. The virus is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids, surfaces, or materials of infected individuals.
In a press statement signed by Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, the NCDC noted that, although no MVD cases have been reported in Nigeria, proactive measures are already underway to mitigate the risk of cross‑border importation. The multi‑sectoral National Emerging Viral Haemorrhagic Disease Technical Working Group (NEVHD TWG), led by the NCDC, coordinates the national response to all viral haemorrhagic fevers across surveillance, laboratory, case management, and risk communication pillars. Following the Equatorial Guinea outbreak, the TWG conducted a dynamic risk assessment, concluding that the overall risk of importation and impact on Nigerians is moderate.
The assessment also highlighted Nigeria’s capacity to respond effectively, citing technical, human‑resource, and diagnostic capabilities developed during previous VHF epidemics, such as the 2014 Ebola outbreak. Diagnostic testing for MVD is currently available at the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital’s Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology, with plans to expand capacity to additional laboratories at key points of entry. An effective response system, including trained rapid‑response teams and a robust infection‑prevention and control programme, is in place to limit the spread should a single imported case occur.
The NCDC advises Nigerians and residents to avoid non‑essential travel to Equatorial Guinea at this time. Individuals who have traveled to or transited through Equatorial Guinea within the past 21 days and develop symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhoea, weakness, vomiting, abdominal pain, or unexplained bleeding/bruising should not present themselves at a health facility. Instead, they should call 6232 or their State Ministry of Health hotline immediately for assessment and testing.
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