FG confirms Ebola case in Abuja, traces 44 contacts

The Federal Government has confirmed an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and identified 44 close contacts as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday after laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
According to the minister, the woman was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was established. She is now in isolation and receiving medical care.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are coordinating the response alongside other relevant authorities.
Public health teams have begun tracing the 44 identified contacts and are working to locate and monitor other potentially exposed people, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and fellow travellers.
Surveillance has also been intensified, while the hospital where the patient was treated is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The government has directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention procedures and immediately report suspected infections to health authorities.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm and practise preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Symptoms include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly in people who may have been exposed to the virus.
The minister advised anyone who develops symptoms to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
People contacted by health officials, including passengers who may have been exposed during air travel, have also been urged to provide the necessary information and comply with monitoring instructions.
The confirmation comes amid a regional Ebola outbreak. On October 6, the NCDC issued an advisory warning of the risk of importing the infection following a confirmed case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.