Jittery is palpable amongst many quarters in Abuja, following the confirmation by the Federal Government of fresh Ebola cases there.
It says it confirmed one case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with 44 close contacts identified.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, said in a statement in a statement today:
“A woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” the statement noted.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are working with other relevant authorities to contain the infection and prevent further spread.
The government said public health teams had begun tracing the 44 identified contacts and were working to identify and monitor others who might have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
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The new Ebola cases has triggered surveillance intensification, while the hospital where the patient was treated is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Healthcare workers are on high alert, directing healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control protocols, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
The minister advised Nigerians to remain calm while observing preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood or other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
He said symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the infection.
“Anyone who develops symptoms should avoid close contact with others and call public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility,” the statement advised.
The government also urged people contacted by public health teams during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to provide the required information and comply with official guidance.
The confirmation comes amid an evolving regional Ebola outbreak. Nigeria’s disease control agency had, in an October 6 advisory, raised concerns about the risk of importing the infection following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
