Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has confirmed an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with health authorities identifying 44 close contacts and intensifying surveillance to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the case at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, following laboratory confirmation of the infection that day.
Pate said the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was receiving medical care in isolation after spending several days at a private hospital in the FCT.
He described the infection as a “contained case”, adding that the government was working with relevant authorities and partners to prevent further spread.
Contact tracing has begun to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts. “Surveillance has also been intensified, and the private hospital where the patient was treated is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures,” Pate said.
The government has urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, maintain strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
Pate said Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease. Contact with contaminated materials can also transmit the virus.
The NCDC’s toll-free call centre is available around the clock for information and reports of suspected cases. “For information or to report a suspected case, please call NCDC toll-free number 6232,” Pate added.
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Korede Abdullah 
