The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with 44 close contacts identified as authorities intensify efforts to prevent an outbreak.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this at a media conference in Abuja on Tuesday, following laboratory confirmation of the infection on October 20.
Pate said the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was in isolation and receiving medical care.
He described the infection as “a contained case”, assuring Nigerians that the government was working with relevant authorities and partners to prevent further transmission.
The minister said the woman had been admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the infection was confirmed.
He said contact tracing had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far.
Public health teams are also working to identify and monitor other people who might have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
“Surveillance has also been intensified, and the private hospital where the patient was treated is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures,” Pate said.
The minister urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, promptly identify suspected cases and isolate patients where necessary.
He also called on Nigerians to observe infection prevention measures and report suspected cases to public health authorities without delay.
Explaining how the disease spreads, Pate said Ebola could be transmitted through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease.
Contact with contaminated materials could also lead to infection, he added.
The minister advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
He listed symptoms to watch out for as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly in people who might have been exposed to the virus.
Pate urged people who might have had contact with the infected woman to report to health authorities immediately, even if they felt well.
He advised anyone who developed symptoms to avoid close contact with others and call public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
The minister also appealed to people contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and comply with public health advice.
He cautioned against spreading rumours, misinformation and stigmatising people who might have been exposed to the virus, urging the public to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, expressing confidence that the country had the experience and public health systems needed to respond to the current case.
He, however, stressed that public cooperation, early detection and prompt reporting of suspected infections were crucial to preventing further transmission.
“The Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Taskforce on EVD and NCDC, will continue to provide updates,” he said.
The minister said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s toll-free call centre was available round the clock for enquiries and reports of suspected cases.
He urged Nigerians to call 6232, the NCDC toll-free number, for information or to report a suspected infection.
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