Nigeria confirms first Ebola case in capital Abuja
Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in the current outbreak in the capital, Abuja, on Tuesday, following laboratory tests, according to the country’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, Qazinform News Agency cites Xinhua.
The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, is currently in isolation and receiving medical treatment, Pate told reporters.
The minister described the case as “contained,” adding that public health measures had been activated to prevent further transmission of the virus.
According to Pate, the woman was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received treatment for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis. Contact tracing has since begun, with 44 close contacts identified so far. Authorities have also stepped up disease surveillance.
Public health teams are identifying and monitoring individuals who may have been exposed to the virus, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who may have had contact with the patient during travel.
Pate urged public and private healthcare facilities across Nigeria to remain on high alert, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, and strictly follow infection prevention and control protocols.
He also called on healthcare providers to report suspected cases to public health authorities without delay.
The minister advised members of the public to avoid contact with the bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola and to remain alert for symptoms of the disease.
Earlier, Qazinform reported the Ebola death toll in DR Congo reached 4,561 as cases in Kenya rose to eight.