WHO pledges support as Nigeria records first imported Ebola case

Nigeria's Health Ministry confirmed an Ebola case in Abuja on Tuesday after a female traveler arriving from Uganda tested positive for the virus. According to GBC Ghana, the patient developed symptoms on Oct. 7 and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja on Oct. 11. The individual remains in isolation receiving specialized medical treatment.

Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate stated that containment measures are underway, including the identification of 44 individuals who interacted with the patient prior to her isolation.

Dawn reports that the patient is a diplomat who traveled to Abuja on Oct. 3 and has since deteriorated into multi-organ failure. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the infection is the Bundibugyo strain, a detail also confirmed by the World Health Organisation. This strain is associated with a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and currently has no specific treatment or vaccine.

The World Health Organisation stated on its website on Tuesday that it is working with Nigerian health authorities and partners to strengthen response measures.

Brief written by urgent.news from Premium Times, STAT News, GBC Ghana, IOL, Dawn — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.