The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has warned of an imminent outbreak of dengue and yellow fever in the country, urging Nigerians to report any symptoms immediately for proper diagnosis.

Director General of the agency, Dr. Jide Idris, issued the warning during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, monitored by our correspondent. He expressed concern that many Nigerians have mistaken dengue fever for malaria due to their similar symptoms and the lack of proper diagnostic awareness.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government, through the NCDC, recently alerted the public to a surge in infectious diseases, including cholera, dengue fever, Mpox, diphtheria, and yellow fever. The agency warned that failure to respond urgently could escalate the public health crisis.

“The situation demands heightened vigilance and intensified response efforts from all stakeholders,” the NCDC stated.

Dr. Idris emphasized: “If people do not report suspected cases, it becomes more dangerous. The more cases we report, the more targeted our responses will be.”

He continued: “Take, for instance, what happened with dengue fever. Cases were happening but misdiagnosed as malaria or general fever. Unfortunately, dengue, malaria, and yellow fever present similarly. That’s why we urge people not to self-medicate. Visit proper healthcare facilities where accurate diagnoses can be made.”

Dr. Idris also called on medical professionals in tertiary institutions to support early detection by reporting confirmed cases through their respective state ministries of health and onward to the NCDC for rapid national response.

“Sadly, some dengue fever cases went unreported for two to three weeks. People were treating persistent fevers at home until we intervened and confirmed dengue. That’s the essence of this alert—to educate the public, encourage immediate reporting, and reduce avoidable deaths,” he added.