FG imposes 21-day flight ban on 46 contacts of Ebola patient

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered a 21-day flight ban on 46 individuals who had contact with Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient in Abuja.

According to Leadership, Keyamo issued the directive on Wednesday following a virtual meeting with Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate.

The affected individuals include 44 people exposed to the infected woman at a hospital and two members of her domestic staff.

Keyamo directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to notify domestic and international airlines and ensure compliance with the restriction.

He also instructed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen Ebola surveillance at international airports.

The measures include temperature checks, enhanced health screening, travel history monitoring and digital health declarations.

The infected woman, who recently travelled from Uganda, is receiving treatment in isolation at a private hospital in Abuja.

Health authorities are tracing contacts and assessing possible exposure to prevent further transmission during the virus’s 21-day incubation period.