Nigeria confirms Ebola case in Abuja, begins tracing 44 contacts

Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in its capital, Abuja, after a woman who recently arrived from Uganda tested positive for the virus, according to the country’s Health Ministry, according to AP.

Health authorities say the woman developed symptoms on October 7 and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja on October 11, before being diagnosed with Ebola.

Health Minister Muhammad Pate said authorities had identified 44 people who may have come into contact with the patient and had begun tracing them to prevent further transmission.

“We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had,” Pate said.

The confirmation comes amid a regional Ebola outbreak that has also affected Kenya, which reported its first case earlier this month. Kenya’s confirmed cases have since risen to nine, according to health authorities.

Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control said it had intensified surveillance and strengthened preparedness measures following the detection of Ebola in Kenya.

The agency said its response efforts include early detection, isolation and referral of suspected cases, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, contact tracing, public communication and protection of healthcare workers.

Uganda, from where the woman travelled, had previously reported cases of Ebola but was subsequently declared free of the virus.

The regional outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola that has spread beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising concerns about further cross-border transmission.

The World Health Organization has reported a growing outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with cases also detected in neighbouring countries.