Abuja, Oct 27:
Nigerian health authorities are working with international specialists to trace the source of the country’s first reported Ebola infection in more than a decade after an infected woman was medically evacuated to Switzerland for specialised treatment.
The patient, a Ugandan-born woman married to a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja, was flown to Geneva on Monday. Her case has raised concerns because she developed symptoms several days after arriving in Nigeria but was not tested for Ebola until later. Health officials are investigating her movements and possible exposure to infected individuals.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has also affected other African countries. Unlike some other Ebola strains, there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments for this variant, making early detection, infection control and supportive medical care particularly important.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said that experts will assist Nigerian authorities in determining how the woman became infected. Investigators are examining conflicting accounts of her recent travel, including whether she visited the Democratic Republic of Congo or contracted the virus while in Uganda. The precise route of infection has not been established.
Uganda has tightened border controls and introduced additional screening measures amid concerns about cross-border transmission. Nigeria’s case has also highlighted the challenges of detecting imported infections in major travel hubs, where a delay in diagnosis can complicate contact tracing.
Health authorities are working to identify people who may have been exposed and monitor them for symptoms. The priority is to prevent further transmission while establishing a reliable account of the patient’s movements and contacts.