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Nigeria Confirms First Ebola Case as Deadly Bundibugyo Strain Hits Abuja
Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case as the Bundibugyo strain, a variant linked to a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the infected patient identified as a diplomat.
The confirmation was made during an emergency meeting on Wednesday, amid growing concerns over the spread of the deadly viral disease across Africa.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said the case involved a woman who travelled from Uganda to Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, on October 3.
Olajumoke Babatunde, Director of Public Health Laboratory Services at the NCDC, confirmed that laboratory tests identified the Bundibugyo strain.
“We did three levels of tests, but all molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” she said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also confirmed the strain, which currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Another official disclosed that the infected patient was a diplomat, adding that her condition had deteriorated into multiple-organ failure.
The development comes as health authorities intensify surveillance and containment efforts to prevent further transmission of the virus.
On Tuesday, the Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Jean Kaseya, warned that the outbreak posed “an extremely serious threat” as Kenya reported its ninth Ebola case.
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, declared in mid-May, has spread to several African countries, including neighbouring Uganda.
According to health authorities, the DRC outbreak has reportedly killed 4,381 people out of more than 9,000 confirmed cases, making it the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country’s history.
In Nigeria, health officials have identified 44 contacts linked to the confirmed case and are monitoring them for possible symptoms. Efforts are also underway to trace additional people who may have been exposed to the virus.
The WHO said infection prevention and control measures were being intensified at the private hospital where the patient sought medical attention.
Authorities are expected to sustain contact tracing, surveillance and other public health interventions to contain the infection and prevent further spread.