key: cord-0975517-g4mtpn2p
authors: Ebenso, Bassey; Otu, Akaninyene
title: Can Nigeria contain the COVID-19 outbreak using lessons from recent epidemics?
date: 2020-03-11
journal: Lancet Glob Health
DOI: 10.1016/s2214-109x(20)30101-7
sha: a18bb36285b3875237fb20b72c79c2259296abc3
doc_id: 975517
cord_uid: g4mtpn2p

nan

The dense population of Lagos, its overstrained infrastructure, and the fact that it is a major regional transit hub for air, land, and sea transport created the perfect conditions for the spread of Ebola. Nevertheless, Nigeria's aggressive and coordinated response successfully controlled the Ebola epidemic.

Gilbert and colleagues' modelling study 3 of the risk of COVID-19 importation from China indicates that the ability of African countries to manage local transmission of COVID-19 after importation hinges on implementing stringent measures of detection, prevention, and control. Nigeria demonstrated its ability through intensifying its preparedness against COVID-19 importation, drawing on recent successes in controlling polio and Ebola epidemics. 4 These experiences strengthened the health system's capacity to rapidly deploy high-quality surveillance and temperature screening at airports using equipment acquired during the Ebola epidemic; collect passengers' contact details and interview those arriving from COVID-19 hotspots; and issue travel bans. 1 However, unlike polio and Ebola, for which vaccines now exist, 5 COVID-19 has neither a vaccine nor an approved treatment. Moreover, Gilbert and colleagues' modelling rated Nigeria as vulnerable to exposing huge populations to COVID-19 (potentially 200 million citizens), with a moderate capacity to control the outbreak. 3 This assessment questions Nigeria's capacity to provide sufficient bed space and associated clinical care to support those who could need isolation and quarantine if local cycles of transmission of COVID-19 occur in the country.

We declare no competing interests.

Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.

b.e.ebenso@leeds.ac.uk

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria: situation report

Nigeria's Ebola outbreak response: lessons for future epidemic preparedness

Preparedness and vulnerability of African countries against importations of COVID-19: a modelling study

Nigeria will deal with this': high alert after coronavirus case

Africa is not starting from scratch on COVID-19