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The Federal Government has discovered a case of Ebola virus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, the Minister of Health, said the government has begun to trace about 44 people the victim has possibly come into contact with.
He also warned against stigmatising those who might be showing symptoms of the virus.
The Federal Government has confirmed an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and is tracing 44 people who may have come into contact with the patient.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, Pate said the patient is a woman who recently travelled to Uganda in East Africa. She returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, which worsened four days later before tests confirmed Ebola.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other agencies are working together to stop the virus from spreading.
He said health officials had started tracing and monitoring people who might have been exposed to the patient. He urged those contacted, including relevant airline passengers, to provide the requested information and follow health officials’ instructions.
Pate also asked hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country to watch out for suspected Ebola cases and report them quickly. He advised health workers to identify and isolate suspected patients promptly and follow strict safety measures.
He added that anyone who develops symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before going to a hospital.
The minister also warned Nigerians against spreading unverified information or stigmatising people who might have been exposed to the virus. He urged the public to rely on updates from official health authorities.
By Akinjide Adebowale