Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has assured residents that no Ebola case has been reported in the state, announcing that his administration has activated precautionary measures and designated an isolation facility to strengthen emergency preparedness.
The governor made the disclosure during the October edition of his monthly media chat with journalists in Umuahia.
According to Otti, the state government took precautionary steps following reports of a suspected Ebola case being investigated by federal health authorities in Abuja.
He explained that the recently renovated Mother and Child Hospital in Umuahia had been designated as an isolation centre rather than being immediately opened for routine public healthcare services.
“We activated all the protocols here. We have set up an isolation centre, the Mother and Child Hospital in Umuahia, which has just been renovated,” the governor said.
“We have said we won’t open it for public use. We have designated an isolation centre just in case. But at the moment, we don’t have any reported cases.”
Otti stressed that the decision was preventive and should not be interpreted as confirmation of an Ebola outbreak in Abia State.
He urged residents to remain vigilant, observe recommended health precautions and cooperate with health authorities.
“We are not resting on our oars. So everybody should also observe the protocols and do what you need to do, but do not panic,” he stated.
The governor explained that preparing isolation facilities before an emergency would enable health authorities to respond more effectively if a suspected case were identified.
He maintained that the government would continue monitoring developments and implementing necessary preventive measures to protect residents.
The announcement was also reported by Punch, which confirmed the governor’s statement that Abia had designated an isolation centre despite having no reported Ebola case. Punch Newspapers
Otti reassured Abians that the administration was taking public health preparedness seriously while encouraging residents to rely on official medical guidance rather than unverified information.
