In brief
Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola patient—a diplomat’s wife who spent weeks in Uganda and stopped in Ethiopia—has been identified by Africa CDC. Officials have isolated 44 contacts and are coordinating with Uganda and Ethiopia to trace her movements. The patient, now stable, highlights the need for rapid testing and cross‑border cooperation amid the ongoing outbreak that has claimed more than 4,600 lives in the DRC. Nigeria’s strengthened surveillance and previous experience in 2014 position it to contain the virus, but health ministers emphasize vigilance and solidarity.
Nigeria’s first confirmed case of Ebola since the May outbreak in East Africa emerged today, according to Africa CDC head Dr Jean Kaseya. The patient is a 42‑year‑old woman, originally from Uganda, who travelled to Kampala for a holiday.
The woman was in Abuja from 3 October, when she fell ill three days after returning. She was admitted to a private hospital on 6 October, misdiagnosed with malaria, and finally tested positive for Ebola on 19 October. Her condition is improving, the Nigeria health minister, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, said, and she is now isolated under conditioning protocols.
Officials have identified 44 people who were in contact with her. None of the contacts, now in isolation, have shown symptoms. The contact tracing effort includes the woman’s travel companion and measures her in both Kampala and Addis Ababa, where she had a two‑hour layover.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May. With more than 9,500 cases and 4,600 deaths reported, the disease still poses a serious risk across sub‑Saharan Africa. Uganda, where the patient spent 17‑week holiday, declared itself free of Ebola in August after its last patient recovered.
Discrepancies float regarding the woman's movements. Uganda’s ministry of health already denied that she had contracted the disease in Uganda, while Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Africa CDC are collaborating to clarify her itinerary. The health minister called for regional solidarity and urged that Western countries not impose travel bans, emphasizing cooperation over restriction.
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© BBC News Africa, 13 minutes ago
