The federal government has confirmed a case of Ebola Virus Disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), involving a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday following laboratory confirmation of the virus.
Mr Pate said the patient was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
He said the woman has been isolated and is currently receiving medical care, while public health authorities have activated emergency response measures to contain the virus.
According to the minister, 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 are working jointly to manage the situation.
He said contact tracing has commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far.
“Public health teams are working to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the patient, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts,” the statement said.
The government said surveillance has been intensified nationwide, while the hospital where the patient was first managed is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Mr Pate urged public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain on high alert and maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola cases.
He directed health workers to promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, strictly observe infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
The government explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated materials. It noted that an infected person cannot transmit the virus before symptoms appear.
He advised Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected to have Ebola.
The statement listed symptoms to include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among persons who may have been exposed to the virus.
It urged anyone who suspects possible exposure to immediately report to public health authorities, even without symptoms, while those who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and seek guidance before visiting a health facility.
The government also called on individuals contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to cooperate with public health officials and comply with health advice.
It cautioned against rumour-mongering and stigmatisation, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Mr Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 and expressed confidence in the country’s experience and public health system to respond to the latest case.
He, however, stressed that preventing further transmission will require the cooperation of the public, health workers and other stakeholders.
He said the federal government, FCT authorities and partners are working together to protect health workers, patients and the wider population, adding that investigations are ongoing.
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He assured Nigerians that the government, through the Presidential Taskforce on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC, would continue to provide accurate and timely updates.
“The NCDC’s toll-free call centre is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members of the public can call 6232 for information or to report a suspected case,” he said.
Nigeria recorded an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller from Liberia arrived in Lagos. The World Health Organisation (WHO) later declared Nigeria free of Ebola transmission on 20 October 2014, after 42 days without a new case.
WHO records show that the 2014 response involved rapid case detection, isolation and extensive contact tracing, with 19 confirmed cases, one probable case and eight deaths.
The latest case in Abuja comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the disease has spread across several provinces.
