Abuja: Nigeria has confirmed its first case of Ebola linked to the current regional outbreak, after a woman who recently travelled from Uganda tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus in the capital, Abuja, the health ministry said on October 20.
The diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory testing on October 20. The patient, who developed symptoms on October 7, was admitted to a private hospital on October 11 and is now in isolation receiving medical care. Health authorities have identified 44 close contacts and begun tracing and monitoring people who may have been exposed to the infection.
Nigeria has become the fifth country to detect the virus since the outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) on May 15. Investigations are under way to establish the likely source of the woman’s infection and reconstruct her travel and exposure history. Although the patient recently travelled from Uganda, authorities have not yet confirmed where the infection was acquired.
The outbreak in DR Congo has spread across eight provinces. As of October 19, the country had recorded 9,552 confirmed cases and 4,602 related deaths, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Kenya has also reported nine cases, including one death, while Uganda declared its outbreak over in August after 42 days without a new confirmed case.
Ebola is a serious viral disease that spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or with contaminated materials. Symptoms can include fever, unusual tiredness, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. The Bundibugyo virus responsible for the current outbreak is a relatively rare species for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available, although research is under way.
Nigeria has intensified disease surveillance and urged healthcare facilities to remain alert for suspected cases. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has also advised travellers arriving from countries with relevant Ebola transmission to follow public health guidance and seek medical attention promptly if symptoms develop. Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, when eight deaths were reported.
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