Nigeria faces low Ebola risk compared to DR Congo, Uganda, says WHO

Nigeria faces a low risk of an Ebola outbreak, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which has intensified containment efforts in affected regions.

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Uganda is the only country with confirmed Ebola cases outside the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigeria’s risk is low.

Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, stated on Tuesday that Uganda is the sole country outside the Democratic Republic of Congo to have recorded confirmed Ebola cases. "Nigeria's risk is low," he affirmed during an appearance on Arise Television's Morning Show.

Despite Nigeria's relatively low risk, Ihekweazu emphasized that the outbreak remains a significant international health concern requiring a coordinated global response. He noted that this is only the ninth time in history an outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and the third time for Ebola.

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This Ebola outbreak is serious and requires an internationally coordinated response. It has already spread to other countries.

The current outbreak in the DR Congo has resulted in over 300 confirmed cases. Ebola, a severe viral disease, spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials. The epidemic in the DR Congo is suspected to have killed at least 246 people, with Uganda also reporting cases, according to the African Union's Africa CDC.

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It is only the ninth time in history that an outbreak has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

In response to the escalating situation, authorities suspended commercial flights to and from Bunia, the capital of Ituri in the DRC, on May 23, allowing only medical and humanitarian flights.

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This is the third time Ebola has met this criterion. There are over 300 confirmed cases spread throughout the DR Congo.