Technology and Scienceupdated 2m ago2 min read
Nigeria Confirms First Ebola Case In Abuja, Tracks 44 Contacts
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Nigeria confirms first Ebola case in Abuja involving a woman who arrived from Uganda. Patient in isolation and receiving medical care; 44 contacts identified for tracing.
First Ebola in Abuja
Nigeria’s health authorities confirmed a first Ebola infection in Abuja, saying a woman who recently arrived from Uganda tested positive and was placed under medical isolation while receiving treatment. Muhammad Ali Pate said laboratory tests confirmed the case, and the Nigeria health ministry said the patient began showing symptoms on 7 October before being admitted to a hospital in Abuja on 11 October.
“‘Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here.”
Ugandan authorities said the woman had only transited through Uganda while on a business trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the ministry insisted, “Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here.” The Nigeria case arrived as the Democratic Republic of the Congo faced a new Ebola wave, with confirmed cases reaching 9,455 and the death toll rising to 4,561, according to the latest data published by Congolese health authorities on Monday, October 19.
Tracing 44 contacts
Nigeria’s health response teams began tracing 44 people who had close contact with the patient, and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control activated its health incident management system with the World Health Organization and local health authorities. Muhammad Ali Pate said, “We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had,” as authorities tightened infection control measures and protected healthcare workers.
Dr Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said on X, “we are facing an extremely serious threat,” and he added that the Bundibugyo outbreak has become the most geographically extensive in history. The World Health Organization said it does not recommend imposing travel or trade restrictions with affected countries, emphasizing early detection of cases and tracking contacts to prevent the spread of infection.
Regional stakes and preparedness
Kenya announced a ninth Ebola case linked to the current outbreak, and the Nigeria case came as Ethiopia strengthened health measures in anticipation of Ebola spreading from Kenya. The Africa For Press report said the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s wave was the seventeenth since May last year, and it described the situation as heightening fears of cross-border transmission across Africa.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said its efforts have focused on early detection, isolation and referral, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, risk communication and protection of health care workers. Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, said Nigeria does not want “a repeat of what happened during the last outbreak when a carrier entered the country, and everyone was scrambling to respond,” as the country established an Ebola taskforce in June.