Breaking: FG Confirms Ebola Case in Abuja, Tracks 44 Contacts
The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and commenced contact tracing for 44 people identified as having possible exposure to the infection. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, saying laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda in East Africa. According to the minister, the patient returned to Nigeria with symptoms on September 7, which worsened four days later. She was subsequently admitted to a private hospital, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. Pate said the patient was currently in isolation and receiving medical care, while the government had activated public health measures to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was working with the FCT Health Secretariat, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and other partners to manage the situation. He added that surveillance was being strengthened at Nigeria’s entry points, while all identified contacts were being traced and monitored. Pate urged public and private health facilities to remain vigilant and ensure health workers maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola cases. He also advised Nigerians to practise good hygiene, remain alert to symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache and diarrhoea, and cooperate with public health officials. The minister called for calm, assuring the public that the situation was being managed and that timely updates would be provided. He said Nigeria would draw on its experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the public health systems established since then. The announcement comes amid reports of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and confirmed cases in Kenya.
Note: Before publication, verify the announcement date and the reported Ebola cases in Kenya against current official health updates.
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