The United States Embassy in Abuja has issued a health alert following Nigeria’s report of a case of Ebola virus.
Naija News reports that in the alert published on October 21, the US Mission Nigeria described Ebola as a serious health concern, stating that “Ebola is a rare, severe, and often fatal hemorrhagic fever illness.”
It explained that health officials were conducting contact tracing after the case was reported.
The US Mission Nigeria urged travellers to consult health guidance from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and take precautions against possible exposure to the virus.
It advised people to visit the CDC’s Ebola information page and its travel health page for Nigeria for relevant information.
The embassy also advised people who may be at risk of Ebola to alert their healthcare providers if they experience symptoms consistent with the disease, so they can receive guidance before presenting for medical care.
Travellers were further advised to continue taking malaria preventive medication as recommended by their doctors, noting that malaria symptoms can resemble those of Ebola and trigger avoidable health scares.
The alert also urged people returning from areas experiencing an Ebola outbreak to monitor their health for 21 days after travel.
The US Embassy advised travellers to consult the US Department of State’s Nigeria country page for general health information.
It also directed them to the embassy’s list of medical providers and encouraged them to contact their travel insurance providers to understand available medical evacuation options if they become ill while overseas.
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