An Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been confirmed by the federal government.

Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, stated that laboratory testing verified the imported case of Ebola virus disease.

The patient is a woman who recently traveled to East Africa, specifically Uganda, and returned to Nigeria on October 7th with symptoms that worsened four days later before tests confirmed the infection, according to Pate, who spoke at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday.

As surveillance is tightened at the nation's entry points, he said, contact tracing has started and 44 contacts have already been identified. The patient is presently in isolation and receiving medical care.

“The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital… where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” a government statement said. “She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.”

Pate clarified that in order to contain the infection and stop its spread, the Ministry of Health, the FCT Health Secretariat, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other partners are collaborating.

He urged Nigerians to remain composed and watchful while calling on both public and private health facilities to stay on high alert and emphasizing that medical personnel must maintain a high index of suspicion for potential cases.

The minister urged people to cooperate with public health officials, maintain proper hygiene, and keep an eye out for symptoms like fever, weakness, headaches, and diarrhea.

Source