Nigeria’s Ebola Virus Linked to Kenya Case – Health Minister
There is still only one confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has said.
He said laboratory analysis shows that the virus from the imported case in Nigeria is closely related to the virus found in the index case in Kenya.
Prof. Pate disclosed this in Abuja on Friday while giving an update on the country’s response to the outbreak.
According to him, genomic sequencing carried out by Nigerian laboratories revealed the link, but there is currently no evidence that the Kenyan index case travelled to Nigeria.
The Minister explained that the finding could give more insight into the outbreak, but said further investigation is required to determine how transmission occurred.
He added that the analysis was done using facilities at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the laboratory of Prof. Christian Happi at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
The Minister said contact tracing is ongoing, with some contacts testing negative and results of others still being awaited.
According to him, government will scale up training for health workers to improve early detection, self-protection and prevention of infection in health facilities, and urged hospitals to sensitise their staff and promptly report any suspected case to public health authorities.
Prof. Pate reminded Nigerians that Ebola spreads through direct contact with body fluids of infected persons and not through the air, stressing handwashing, personal hygiene and other preventive measures.
He highlighted that the NCDC is developing guidelines on mass gatherings and use of public spaces to safeguard public health.
Pate assured that Nigeria has the laboratory capacity, public health infrastructure and personnel to contain the outbreak, but urged citizens to get information only from credible sources such as the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
He appealed to Nigerians not to panic but to strictly adhere to preventive measures announced by health authorities.
Also speaking, the Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, said containing the outbreak requires joint effort between government and citizens, noting that environmental control and personal hygiene remain critical.
He said public enlightenment will be sustained to keep Nigerians informed on government actions and personal preventive steps.
To strengthen the response, the Africa CDC has donated laboratory reagents and consumables for 500 PCR tests to boost Nigeria’s testing capacity for the current Bundibugyo Virus Disease response.
