Nigeria confirms Ebola case in Abuja after woman arrives from Uganda

Nigeria confirms Ebola case in Abuja after woman arrives from Uganda

The government has also directed healthcare facilities across Nigeria to watch for suspected cases and report them promptly.

Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in the country’s capital, Abuja, involving a woman who recently travelled from Uganda.

According to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate, the woman is receiving treatment in isolation at a private hospital in the capital. Health authorities have since identified and are tracing 44 people who may have been exposed to the virus, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who may have come into contact with the woman during her journey.

The government has also directed healthcare facilities across Nigeria to watch for suspected cases and report them promptly.

“The Federal Government calls on all public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to be on high alert. Healthcare workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities,” the statement said, according to Premium Times.

Nigeria’s only previous Ebola outbreak occurred in 2014, when an infected traveller brought the virus to Lagos, leading to 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths before health authorities contained the outbreak through isolation and contact tracing. The latest case raises questions about where the woman contracted the virus, given that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Uganda’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over on August 27, after 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.

The confirmation comes amid concerns over cross-border transmission as countries in the region respond to an Ebola outbreak that started in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May, with infected travellers posing a risk of carrying the virus into neighbouring countries.

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Kenya confirmed its ninth Ebola case earlier on Tuesday, with the Ministry of Health (MoH) saying the latest patient was already in quarantine when he developed symptoms

The 24-year-old man, a close family member of the first patient who died, tested positive on October 19. According to Director General for Health Patrick Amoth, the patient was isolated at the first sign of illness and started treatment immediately after confirmation.

All nine confirmed cases belong to one cluster, with the ministry reporting no evidence of transmission beyond the group. The eight surviving patients are stable and have improved under treatment, according to the ministry, which also reported receiving 500 doses of medicine to support their care.