Nigeria Confirms Ebola Case in Capital

Nigeria confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, on Tuesday, according to the Health Ministry. The case involves a woman who arrived from Uganda and subsequently tested positive for the virus.

The patient began exhibiting symptoms on Oct. 7 and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja on Oct. 11, where she was diagnosed with Ebola. Health Minister Muhammad Pate stated that authorities have initiated contact tracing for 44 individuals identified as having been in contact with the patient.

Uganda's Ministry of Health clarified that the patient had only transited through the country and that she is a Nigerian national who had been on a business trip to the eastern region of Congo. The ministry emphasized that Uganda currently has no confirmed active Ebola cases and that the location of infection remains under investigation.

Nigeria is the latest country in the region to report an Ebola case. The Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak has spread geographically, affecting several countries across Africa. Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, described the situation as an "extremely serious threat" with a fatality rate nearing 50%.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had increased surveillance two weeks prior in response to the detection of Ebola in Kenya and to bolster the country's preparedness for a potential outbreak. Efforts have focused on early detection, isolation, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention, and control, along with contact tracing and risk communication.

Nigeria established an Ebola task force in June following the outbreak in Congo in mid-May. The spread of Ebola beyond Congo has raised concerns among health authorities regarding the rapid transmission of the Bundibugyo virus, which has previously infected over 9,500 people and caused more than 4,600 deaths. The current outbreak is considered the fastest-spreading on record and is on track to surpass the deadliest outbreak in West Africa between 2014 and 2016, which resulted in 11,000 deaths. Nigeria was affected during that period, recording 20 cases before the outbreak was declared over in the country.