The federal government has confirmed one case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory and identified 44 contacts as public health teams begin tracing people who may have been exposed.
The patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She is in isolation and receiving medical care after laboratory confirmation on Tuesday, October 20, Health Minister Muhammad Pate said.
Authorities are tracing healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts. Pate urged anyone contacted by health teams, including people who travelled with the patient, to provide information and follow public health guidance.
A statement signed by the minister and reproduced in full by Premium Times said the woman had received care for several days at a private hospital in the FCT before the diagnosis was confirmed. Punch reported that symptoms began on October 7 and that she sought care at the hospital on October 11.
The Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention are working with the FCT health authorities on the response. Surveillance has been intensified, and the hospital is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control.
Pate called on public and private health facilities nationwide to remain alert, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, use strict infection prevention measures and report suspected infections to public health authorities.
The confirmation follows an earlier NCDC preparedness review after Kenya detected an imported case. NaijaTrend reported that review here; the agency said no case had been confirmed in Nigeria as of October 6.
In the new advisory, the government said Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of someone who is ill or has died from the disease, or through contaminated materials. It said an infected person cannot spread the disease before symptoms begin.
The advisory lists fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea among symptoms to watch for after possible exposure. People should practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Anyone who may have been exposed should report it immediately, even if feeling well. People who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and call public health authorities for guidance before visiting a health facility.
The government urged the public to avoid rumours and stigma and cooperate with contact tracing. The NCDC’s toll-free number, 6232, is available around the clock for information or to report a suspected case.
Sources: Premium Times, Punch, Channels Television
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