The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and identified 44 contacts as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent the spread of the infection.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, following laboratory confirmation of the case.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
The woman was reportedly admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the infection was confirmed.
The statement said the patient had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are collaborating with other relevant agencies to contain the disease.
Public health officials have commenced contact tracing to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the infection, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and individuals who travelled with the patient.
The government said surveillance had also been strengthened, while the hospital where the woman was treated was receiving support to improve infection prevention and control measures.
Healthcare facilities nationwide have been directed to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, adhere to infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to the relevant public health authorities.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease.
He listed symptoms to watch for as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the virus.
“Anyone who develops symptoms should avoid close contact with others and call public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility,” the statement advised.
The government also urged people contacted by health officials during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to cooperate and provide the necessary information.
The confirmation comes amid concerns over Ebola transmission in the region. On October 6, the NCDC issued an advisory warning about the risk of importing the infection following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The World Health Organisation says Ebola can spread through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.
The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, while infected individuals do not transmit the virus before symptoms develop.
Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the disease into the country. The response involved case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health interventions.
Reassuring Nigerians, Pate said the country had the experience and public health systems needed to respond to the current case. However, he emphasised that preventing further transmission would require public cooperation.
The government added that investigations were ongoing and that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, alongside the NCDC, would continue to provide updates.
Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.
