LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigeria has confirmed an Ebola case in Abuja after a woman who traveled from Uganda tested positive, according to the Health Ministry. The woman exhibited symptoms on October 7 and was admitted to a private hospital on October 11, where Ebola was diagnosed.
Health Minister Muhammad Pate stated that authorities have initiated contact tracing for 44 individuals linked to the patient. He emphasized efforts to control the situation by identifying all possible contacts.
“We are doing everything possible to contain this case by tracing all the contacts the individual may have had,” said Pate.
Previously, Uganda had reported Ebola cases but declared itself free of the virus. Now, Nigeria joins the latest regional outbreak, which has also affected Kenya with nine confirmed infections after its first case was reported earlier this month.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control, highlighted on X that the situation poses an extremely serious threat, with Ebola’s fatality rate nearing 50% of cases.
“This Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has already become the most geographically extensive in history, affecting several countries across three regions of Africa,” said Dr. Kaseya.
In response to the regional outbreak, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced enhanced surveillance measures two weeks ago after Ebola appeared in Kenya. The agency is focusing on early detection, isolation, laboratory diagnosis, infection control, contact tracing, risk communication, and protection for health care workers.
Nigeria formed an Ebola task force in June following Congo’s outbreak in mid-May.
“We do not want a repeat of what happened during the last outbreak when a carrier entered the country, and everyone was scrambling to respond,” said Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu.
The rapid spread of Ebola beyond Congo underscores health authorities’ enduring fears about the transmission of the Bundibugyo virus. This outbreak, having infected over 9,000 people and claimed over 4,300 lives, is progressing faster than any previous Ebola outbreak and is on course to surpass the West African outbreak of 2014-2016 in severity, according to WHO.
During the previous outbreak from 2014-2016, Nigeria experienced 20 cases within three months before the virus was eradicated from the country.
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