- Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, after a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda tested positive
- Nigerian health authorities have identified 44 people who may have been exposed to the infected woman and are tracing contacts
- Kenya has confirmed nine Ebola cases, including one death, with 134 of the 135 identified contacts traced and placed in quarantine
Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, after a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda tested positive, prompting health authorities to launch contact tracing amid growing concerns over the spread of the virus in the region.
Source: UGC
Nigeria’s Health Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the case on Tuesday, October 20, saying laboratory tests had confirmed the infection and the patient was receiving medical care in isolation.
Speaking to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Pate said authorities had identified 44 people who may have come into contact with the patient and were working to establish whether anyone else had been exposed.
“She is in isolation, and she is receiving quality medical care,” the minister said, adding that contact tracing was continuing.
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The woman was initially admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received treatment before laboratory tests confirmed the infection. The authorities are now working to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed, including healthcare workers and others who interacted with her.
The Nigerian government has also urged public and private health facilities to remain vigilant, promptly isolate suspected cases and strengthen infection prevention measures as investigations continue.
Kenya confirms ninth Ebola case
The development comes as Kenya continues to respond to a growing cluster of Ebola infections, with the Ministry of Health confirming nine cases as of Tuesday, October 20.
The latest patient is a 24-year-old man who is a close family member of Kenya’s first confirmed case. He tested positive on October 19 after developing symptoms while already in quarantine, allowing health authorities to isolate him and begin treatment promptly.
Kenya’s first patient, a man who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Uganda to Nairobi, tested positive earlier in October and died on October 5.
Subsequent infections have involved the deceased patient’s relatives and healthcare workers who had been exposed while caring for him. According to Health Director-General Patrick Amoth, all nine cases remain linked to the same cluster, with no evidence of transmission beyond the identified group.
Kenya has recorded one death, while the eight surviving patients are receiving treatment. The Ministry of Health has reported that the patients have improved and are responding well to care.
Authorities have identified 135 contacts linked to the Kenyan cases, with 134 traced and placed in quarantine as of Tuesday. The first group of contacts is expected to complete its 21-day monitoring period from October 25, provided they remain symptom-free.
Regional Ebola concerns intensify
Nigeria’s confirmation adds to concerns over the regional spread of Ebola, particularly as the DRC continues to battle a major outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
The DRC has recorded thousands of infections and deaths, while Uganda previously reported cases linked to the same regional outbreak before declaring its latest outbreak over in July.
Ebola spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms, or through contaminated materials.
Source: TUKO.co.ke