Nigeria: Ebola Confirmed in Abuja As Nigeria Tracks 44 Potential Contacts
[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Nigerian health authorities are tracing 44 people who may have been exposed to Ebola after a woman who recently travelled to the country from Uganda tested positive for the virus, prompting an urgent public health response in the capital, Abuja.
A woman recently returned from Uganda to Nigeria and was diagnosed with Ebola on October 20, after showing symptoms since October 7. The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, along with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, is tracking 44 potential contacts, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, and individuals linked to the woman's international travel.
The patient is currently isolated and receiving medical care at a private hospital in Abuja. Surveillance has been intensified, and healthcare facilities across the country are being encouraged to remain vigilant for suspected cases. The government has urged residents to practice regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of suspected Ebola patients.
The World Health Organisation confirmed that the patient's symptoms began four days after her arrival in Nigeria. Nigeria is drawing on its experience containing an Ebola outbreak in 2014 to prevent further spread.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
