ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has recorded no secondary transmission of Ebola virus disease linked to the imported case after all 62 identified contacts completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without testing positive for the infection.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, announced the development during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, alongside the Mandate Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe.
Idris said the final contact completed the monitoring period and was discharged from follow-up on Friday, marking the end of the 21-day observation period for all identified contacts. “The 21-day monitoring period for contacts linked to the index case has been completed with the last contact discharged today. We are glad to announce that none of the contacts became ill with the disease, meaning no transmission from the index case,” he said.
He disclosed that 13 of the 62 contacts developed fever and other symptoms during the monitoring period but all tested negative for Ebola. The NCDC chief also said seven other suspected cases reported in Adamawa, Rivers, Borno, Lagos and Ekiti states were investigated and returned negative results.
Idris confirmed that the index patient, who was evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 after receiving treatment in Nigeria, had recovered, tested negative and been discharged from hospital. He clarified that the patient’s evacuation was a requirement of the foreign country and should not be interpreted as a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Despite the successful completion of contact monitoring, Idris warned that the country remained at risk of imported infections, particularly with Ebola continuing to occur in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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