Nigeria Confirms First Imported Ebola Case Since 2014

Nigeria has confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, marking the country’s first recorded infection since 2014.

Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said laboratory testing confirmed the case in a woman who had traveled from Uganda to Abuja. The patient is being treated in isolation, while Nigerian authorities have begun tracing people who may have been exposed.

Patient in isolation

According to Pate, the woman began developing symptoms on October 7 and visited a private medical facility four days later. Her condition progressed, and additional tests subsequently indicated Ebola virus disease.

The minister said she remains in isolation and is receiving medical care. The patient’s name, age and the identity of the facility where she was initially treated have not been disclosed.

Nigerian authorities have identified 44 close contacts for monitoring as part of the response. No further Nigerian cases were reported in the supplied information.

Kenya reports ninth infection

The confirmation in Nigeria came as Kenya reported its ninth Ebola case in the regional outbreak. The patient is a 24-year-old man who was a close family member of the outbreak’s first victim.

Kenyan authorities said the man was already in quarantine when symptoms developed. He was isolated and treated after laboratory confirmation.

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain and has been described as spreading across central, eastern and western Africa. It was first declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May, although the year was not specified in the supplied information.

Regional response

Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, described the outbreak as an extremely serious threat and called on the international community to provide funding, medical supplies and health workers.

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reported more than 9,000 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths. Those figures were attributed to the country’s health authorities.

The developments in Nigeria and Kenya add to concerns about the outbreak’s regional reach. Nigerian officials are continuing contact tracing and monitoring of the 44 identified contacts while the confirmed patient remains under care.