Nigeria has launched urgent public health measures after confirming an Ebola infection in Abuja involving a woman who recently travelled from Uganda, with authorities tracing 44 people who may have been exposed as they work to establish the source of the infection and prevent further spread.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate on Tuesday said the woman had been placed in isolation at a private hospital in the capital, where she was receiving treatment.
Health officials have begun identifying people who may have had contact with her, including medical workers, patients, caregivers and individuals she encountered while travelling.
The government has also ordered healthcare facilities across Nigeria to strengthen their surveillance and remain alert for possible Ebola infections.
Hospitals and other health facilities have been instructed to identify suspected cases quickly, isolate patients and notify public health authorities without delay.
“The Federal Government calls on all public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to be on high alert. Healthcare workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities,” the statement said, according to Premium Times.
The confirmation has prompted questions about the origin of the infection, particularly because the woman had recently travelled from Uganda, where the World Health Organisation (WHO) had declared the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over on August 27.
The declaration followed 42 consecutive days without a newly confirmed case, raising questions about where and when the woman may have contracted the virus before arriving in Nigeria.
Health authorities are now working to trace possible exposure routes as concerns grow over the movement of Ebola across national borders.
The latest case comes as countries in the region remain watchful amid an outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May.
The risk of infected travellers carrying the virus into other countries has increased pressure on governments to maintain strong screening, reporting and contact-tracing systems. Nigeria's response includes monitoring people who may have been exposed and ensuring healthcare workers follow strict infection prevention measures.
Nigeria's last Ebola outbreak occurred in 2014, when an infected traveller brought the virus into Lagos.
The outbreak led to 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths before health authorities managed to contain it through isolation and contact tracing.
The latest infection brings Ebola back into focus for Nigeria's public health system more than a decade after that outbreak. Authorities are now relying on early detection, rapid isolation and the tracing of exposed individuals to reduce the possibility of further infections.
The development comes as Kenya also continues responding to an Ebola outbreak, with the Ministry of Health confirming its ninth case earlier on Tuesday.
The latest patient in Kenya is a 24-year-old man who is a close family member of the first patient to die. He tested positive on October 19 after developing symptoms while in quarantine, according to Director General for Health Patrick Amoth.
Amoth said the patient was isolated as soon as symptoms appeared and began treatment immediately after the infection was confirmed.
Kenya's nine confirmed cases remain within a single cluster, with the Ministry of Health reporting no evidence that the virus has spread beyond the group. The eight surviving patients are stable and have improved while receiving treatment.
The ministry also said it had received 500 doses of medicine to support the treatment of patients.
The cases in Nigeria and Kenya highlight the need for continued monitoring and coordination among health authorities as countries seek to identify infections early, trace potential contacts and prevent further transmission.