The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, 12 years after Nigeria successfully contained an outbreak that claimed eight lives.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed the development on Tuesday, following laboratory confirmation of the infection, as health authorities identified 44 close contacts and intensified efforts to prevent further transmission.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the infection was confirmed.
The woman has since been placed in isolation and is receiving medical care.
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant agencies were working together to contain the infection.
He added that contact tracing had commenced to identify and monitor people who might have been exposed to the virus. The hospital where the patient received treatment is also receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The minister urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention protocols and report suspected infections to public health authorities without delay.
He also appealed to Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Pate identified fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea as symptoms to watch for, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the virus.
He advised anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
The government also urged people contacted by public health officials during the tracing exercise, including airline passengers who may have been exposed, to provide the necessary information and comply with official instructions.
Nigeria recalls 2014 Ebola outbreak
The latest case comes 12 years after Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak that began in July 2014.
The outbreak followed the arrival of Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American who travelled from Liberia to Lagos and was later diagnosed with the disease.
Dr Stella Adadevoh, who treated Sawyer, subsequently died from the infection, alongside six other victims. Nigeria recorded 20 cases during the outbreak, including eight deaths.
On October 20, 2014, the World Health Organisation declared Nigeria free of Ebola transmission following the country’s containment efforts.
Before the latest confirmation, the NCDC had raised concerns about the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Public urged to follow health guidelines
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.
People infected with the virus do not transmit it before symptoms appear, while the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Reassuring Nigerians, Pate said the country had the experience and public health infrastructure needed to respond to the case, stressing that public cooperation would be essential to preventing further transmission.
The Federal Government said the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC would continue to provide updates as the response progresses.
Members of the public were advised to 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.
