The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that two suspected Ebola cases reported in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Rivers State tested negative, while 53 primary contacts linked to Nigeria’s confirmed index case have been identified and placed under monitoring.
The agency also disclosed that the Federal Government is considering a weekly stipend of N100,000 for quarantined contacts to support their feeding and upkeep during the monitoring period.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, announced the developments during a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday, where he provided an update on the country’s response to the Ebola outbreak.
According to Idris, the welfare support would serve as an interim measure, with state governments expected to assume responsibility for maintaining contacts within their jurisdictions.
He said the search for additional secondary contacts was ongoing and assured Nigerians that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, FCT health authorities and development partners, remained fully committed to containing the outbreak.
“As previously announced, Nigeria has confirmed one case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The patient is currently receiving medical care under isolation, with infection prevention and control measures in place,” Idris said.
Contact Tracing Intensifies
The NCDC boss disclosed that the 53 identified primary contacts include 44 healthcare personnel from the hospital treating the index case and nine other individuals who had direct interactions with the patient.
He added that the patient’s husband had tested negative, while the two suspected cases identified in the FCT and Rivers State were also confirmed negative, although health officials would continue follow-up monitoring.
Idris revealed that the index patient is a Ugandan national married to a Swiss citizen. Nigerian authorities are collaborating with Ugandan officials to verify details of her travel history and possible exposure routes.
He said the case was detected through event-based surveillance after health workers identified symptoms that raised public health concerns.
Government Strengthens Response
The response, according to Idris, is being coordinated through an Incident Management System operated by the Emergency Operations Centre under the supervision of the Coordinating Minister of Health and the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease.
Key measures include contact tracing and monitoring for 21 days, improved infection prevention and control, enhanced surveillance systems, expanded laboratory capacity and community engagement programmes.
The NCDC said it is working with the Department of State Services (DSS) to trace contacts while scaling up the genomic testing capabilities of 12 laboratories nationwide.
Authorities have also designated the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital as a specialised isolation centre and carried out fumigation of locations associated with the index case.
Appeal for Public Cooperation
Idris urged Nigerians to cooperate with health officials and avoid spreading misinformation or stigmatising affected individuals.
“An identified contact does not mean you have Ebola. It means public health teams need to assess and monitor your health,” he said.
He advised the public to observe proper hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of suspected cases and promptly report symptoms to health authorities.
The NCDC chief commended healthcare workers whose vigilance led to the early detection of the disease and stressed the importance of maintaining adequate screening, triage systems and personal protective equipment in health facilities.
He also expressed optimism about the recovery of the index patient, noting that her condition was improving.
