By Desire Uzochukwu
The Federal Government has intensified efforts to contain Nigeria’s confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease, placing high-risk contacts in quarantine, imposing a 21-day no-fly restriction on 46 persons linked to the patient and strengthening surveillance at airports and health facilities nationwide.
The government has also mobilised state authorities, activated emergency response structures and intensified contact tracing amid concerns over the circumstances surrounding the infection and the possibility of further transmission.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the index patient was showing significant signs of improvement, although authorities were not taking any chances.
“I spoke with the clinicians today, and I understand that the laboratory results show significant improvement. There is a possibility that she will recover fully. However, we cannot take anything for granted,” Pate said while briefing journalists in Abuja.
He added: “We currently have one confirmed case, and our priority is to contain it and prevent transmission into communities or a wider outbreak. We are working very hard to ensure that this does not happen.”
According to the minister, the patient was asymptomatic when she arrived in Nigeria but developed symptoms days later. The case was subsequently confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory.
Pate said contact tracing had covered people at the hospital where the patient received treatment, members of her household and a private medical facility she visited.
He explained that contacts had been classified according to their levels of exposure, with high-risk individuals placed in quarantine at a designated facility and others monitored in accordance with public health guidelines.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, has activated its incident management system to coordinate the national response in collaboration with the FCT Administration and other relevant agencies.
46 contacts placed on no-fly list
In a parallel containment measure, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, to restrict 46 persons identified as contacts of the patient from air travel for at least 21 days.
Keyamo said the list comprised 44 persons who came into contact with the patient at a hospital after she developed symptoms and two members of her domestic staff.
He also directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to notify domestic and international airlines of the restriction.
“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the Aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days,” the minister said.
FAAN has also strengthened health screening, temperature checks, travel-history monitoring and digital health declarations at international airports.
The aviation measures are intended to complement contact tracing and reduce the risk of further transmission while the identified contacts undergo monitoring.
Africa CDC seeks answers on patient’s travel history
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jean Kaseya, has called for further investigation into the patient’s movements before arriving in Nigeria, saying her travel history remains critical to determining where the infection was acquired.
Kaseya said the woman was born in Uganda and had travelled there before her husband joined her. He said the couple returned to Abuja on October 3.
The Federal Government confirmed Nigeria’s first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20.
Kaseya said authorities needed to establish whether the patient had travelled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had contact with anyone from the country or visited locations outside Kampala during her stay in Uganda.
“What we know is that the lady came from Uganda, but what we don’t know is whether it is a transmission from Uganda, Kampala, or a transmission that came from another place,” he said.
He urged the patient to provide relevant information to health authorities to support investigations and help neighbouring countries assess their exposure risks.
Ugandan health authorities, however, have maintained that travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred there, adding that the location of exposure remains under investigation.
Kaseya warned African leaders against politicising the outbreak, saying regional cooperation was essential to containing the disease.
“We cannot play politics with this outbreak; we cannot point fingers; we cannot play isolation; we all need to come together to save our continent,” he said.
Tomori demands full disclosure
Renowned virologist and chairman of the West African National Academy of Scientists, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has urged the Federal Government to provide comprehensive information about the patient’s movements, the diagnostic timeline and the scope of contact tracing.
Tomori expressed concern that delays in recognising and confirming the infection could expose additional people if healthcare workers failed to consider the patient’s travel history when assessing her symptoms.
“The government must be completely transparent about matters like this. We don’t want to hear information in bits and pieces from different sources,” he said.
He added that incomplete official communication could create room for rumours and undermine public confidence.
“Where did she stay? Where did she go? How many people did she come into contact with?” he asked.
The virologist recalled Nigeria’s experience during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when the infection brought into the country by Patrick Sawyer took several days to diagnose.
He urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion when treating patients who have travelled from areas where Ebola or other dangerous infectious diseases are circulating.
“The first disease that should come to mind is the one circulating in the area from which the person has travelled, not malaria, which is common in our environment,” he said.
Tomori cautioned against complacency, urging authorities to prepare for the possibility that additional contacts could test positive.
“For now, there is no reason to panic. The authorities are putting the necessary measures in place. What we need to do is prepare for the worst-case scenario,” he said.
No vaccine for Bundibugyo strain
The Africa CDC has also explained that no approved vaccine is currently available for the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak.
Kaseya said the agency had initiated clinical trials of new vaccine candidates, including one developed in Egypt, while efforts continued to strengthen Africa’s capacity to respond to emerging infectious diseases.
He expressed concern over the limited availability of vaccines for the strain, arguing that global health research and development priorities should better reflect the needs of African populations.
South-East states activate surveillance
Across the South-East, state governments have intensified surveillance, alerted healthcare workers and strengthened preparedness, although no confirmed Ebola case had been reported in the zone in the reports reviewed.
In Abia, the Ministry of Health said it was assessing isolation facilities and working to secure funds for personal protective equipment, thermometers and hand sanitisers.
The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Blossom Uma-Kalu, said health workers and relevant public health teams had been alerted.
“We have held meetings following communication from the Federal Ministry of Health about the case in Abuja. Health workers and relevant public health teams have been alerted to maintain a high index of suspicion,” she said.
She disclosed that the Infectious Disease Hospital in Aba was nearing completion, while an isolation facility at a specialist hospital in Umuahia was undergoing remodelling.
Enugu State Government said it had intensified surveillance across its 17 local government areas and reactivated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre.
Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, reassured residents that no confirmed case had been recorded in the state, adding that rapid response teams and technical personnel were on standby.
Anambra State Government, meanwhile, announced plans to strengthen surveillance at the Chinua Achebe International Airport, Umueri, motor parks and other strategic public locations.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Ben Obidike, said 40 persons of interest had been monitored, with 33 completing their monitoring period and seven remaining under active follow-up. All seven were reported to be stable.
In Ebonyi, Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ikenna Ekuma, said precautionary measures had been activated, an isolation centre equipped and health workers trained in infection prevention and control.
FG mobilises states, hospitals
Pate said the Federal Government had notified all state governments and directed those yet to complete their Ebola response plans to do so urgently.
He disclosed that additional resources had been mobilised to strengthen the NCDC’s capacity, while the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats had been briefed.
The government is also working with the World Health Organisation, Africa CDC, the Ministry of Aviation and other agencies to coordinate surveillance, emergency preparedness and public communication.
Pate said federal hospitals had been directed to ensure adequate bed capacity, functional isolation facilities and strict infection prevention and control measures.
He particularly urged private healthcare providers to report suspected cases promptly, noting that the patient had visited a private medical facility before the infection was confirmed.
FG warns against misinformation
The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm, comply with public health directives and avoid circulating unverified information about the outbreak.
He advised people who develop symptoms such as fever, headache or muscle aches, particularly after relevant travel or possible exposure, to contact public health authorities for guidance.
Pate also encouraged regular handwashing and warned against direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of infected persons.
“Ebola is not an airborne disease. It is transmitted through direct contact with infected body fluids,” he said.
He added that the government would continue reviewing the situation and would base any additional restrictions, including decisions concerning public gatherings, on scientific evidence and expert advice.
The government maintained that Nigeria had the expertise and institutional experience to contain the infection, citing the successful management of the 2014 outbreak.
However, health experts have stressed that effective containment will depend on rapid diagnosis, transparent communication, comprehensive contact tracing, adequate isolation facilities and sustained public cooperation.
