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…Activates emergency response, begins contact tracing
The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), triggering emergency public health measures to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this at a media briefing 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 receiving medical care in isolation at a private hospital in the FCT.
He described the infection as a “contained case”, assuring Nigerians that the government was working with relevant agencies and partners to prevent further spread.
According to the minister, the woman had received treatment at the private hospital for several days before the infection was confirmed.
He said contact tracing had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far, while surveillance teams were working to identify and monitor other people who might have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
Pate added that surveillance had been intensified nationwide, while the hospital where the patient was treated was receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
He urged public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, maintain strict infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
The minister 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.
He advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with the body fluids of suspected cases and remain alert to symptoms, including fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly after possible exposure.
Pate urged anyone who might have been exposed to report immediately to health authorities, even in the absence of symptoms. He also advised people who develop symptoms to avoid close contact with others and contact public health officials for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
He appealed to individuals contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and comply with public health instructions.
The minister also warned against spreading rumours and misinformation or stigmatising affected individuals, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Recalling Nigeria’s successful containment of the Ebola outbreak in 2014, Pate said the country had the experience and public health structures needed to respond to the latest case.
He, however, emphasised that public cooperation, early detection and prompt reporting of suspected infections remained critical to preventing further transmission.
Pate said the government, through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), would continue to provide updates on the situation.
He disclosed that the NCDC’s toll-free call centre was available round the clock for information and reports of suspected cases.
The minister urged Nigerians to call **6232**, the NCDC’s toll-free number, for guidance or to report a suspected Ebola case.
