Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case after laboratory tests detected the virus in a woman who traveled from Uganda to the capital, Abuja, raising
concerns as an outbreak of the disease continues to spread across parts of Africa. Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said on Tuesday that the patient was receiving medical care in isolation at a private hospital in Abuja. She had been admitted and treated for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. Authorities have begun contact tracing to contain the infection, with 44 contacts already identified, according to Pate. He said Nigeria had the experience and public health systems needed to respond, citing the country's successful containment of an Ebola outbreak in 2014. However, Uganda's government spokesperson, Alan Kasujja, disputed the suggestion of an active outbreak in the country, telling Reuters: "There's no Ebola in Uganda."
Congo Outbreak Spreads As African Countries Step Up Surveillance
Nigeria's case comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) grapples with an Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain. The outbreak, declared in May, has become the second-largest in history, with more than 9,500 cases recorded and at least 4,600 deaths, according to the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control.
The outbreak has also affected other countries in East Africa. Uganda reported 20 cases in May and June, most of them linked to infections imported from Congo, before the World Health Organization declared the country free of the virus in August.
Kenya has reported nine Ebola cases this month, all linked to a person who traveled from Congo. The United States on Monday advised its citizens to reconsider travel to Kenya because of health risks and raised its travel advisory level for the country.
Jean Kaseya, head of Africa's top public health agency, said support was being mobilized for Nigeria. He described the Bundibugyo outbreak as the most geographically extensive in history, affecting countries across three African regions.
The Bundibugyo strain is relatively rare, and there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for it, although trials are under way.
Ebola is a potentially deadly viral disease that can spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, including blood and vomit. Symptoms can include vomiting and diarrhea, and severe cases may lead to organ failure and bleeding.
Nigeria has stepped up disease surveillance since the outbreak began. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control has also issued guidance for travelers, including possible health declaration requirements for people arriving from countries with active or relevant Ebola transmission.
The country previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, which resulted in at least eight deaths.
