Nigeria Confirms First Ebola Case in Capital, Abuja
A woman who arrived from Uganda has tested positive for the virus, prompting contact tracing efforts.
Nigeria has confirmed its first case of Ebola in the capital, Abuja, after a woman who traveled from Uganda tested positive for the virus, the Ministry of Health announced Tuesday.
The woman 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 had contact with the patient. "We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had," he said.
Uganda had previously reported Ebola cases but was later declared free of the virus. Nigeria's confirmation follows neighboring Kenya's report of its first Ebola case earlier this month, which has since recorded nine cases.
Two weeks prior to this case, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had increased its surveillance measures in response to the detection of Ebola in Kenya and to bolster the country's preparedness for a potential outbreak. These efforts have concentrated on early detection, isolation, referral, laboratory diagnosis, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, risk communication, and the protection of healthcare workers, according to the agency.
The spread of Ebola beyond the Congo has raised long-standing concerns among health officials regarding the rapid transmission of the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has infected over 9,000 people and caused more than 4,300 deaths globally.