The first case of Ebola identified in Nigeria belongs to the Bundibugyo strain, which is linked to a major outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the infected person was a diplomat. An emergency meeting was held on Wednesday as South Africa takes steps to prevent the spread of the virus.
According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the case in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, was discovered in a woman who arrived from Uganda in the capital Abuja on October 3.
Since the Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-May, the deadly hemorrhagic fever has spread to several countries on the continent, including neighboring Uganda.
Oladjumoke Babatunde, director of the public health laboratory service at NCDC, stated that the Bundibugyo strain was identified after three levels of molecular testing. The World Health Organization (WHO) also confirmed that this is indeed the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment.
Another official representative reported that the patient is a diplomat and that the patient's condition has deteriorated to 'multi-organ failure.' Jean Kasie, CEO of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), warned on Tuesday of an 'extremely serious threat,' while Kenya registered its ninth Ebola case.
According to health authorities, the Ebola epidemic in the DRC became the deadliest in the country's history in a few months, claiming the lives of 4381 people out of more than 9000 confirmed cases. Nigeria has identified 44 contacts and is intensifying the search for other potentially infected individuals.
The WHO stated in its press release that infection prevention and control measures are being 'intensified' at the private hospital where the patient was located. As the virus spreads across the continent, South Africa is already taking preventive measures. Despite having no Ebola cases in South Africa, the country remains on high alert, according to Health Minister Aaron Mosoadle. The country has trained thousands of healthcare workers and selected 36 public and private hospitals to receive potential patients.
