By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Federal Government has intensified disease surveillance and containment measures following the confirmation of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 44 contacts of the infected patient identified for monitoring.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the infected patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was receiving treatment at an isolation facility.
According to Pate, the woman had spent several days at a private hospital in Abuja before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the FCT Health and Environmental Services Secretariat were working together to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
The minister said contact tracing was ongoing, with 44 close contacts identified so far, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
He added that surveillance had been strengthened and the hospital where the patient initially received treatment was being supported to improve infection prevention and control.
Pate urged healthcare providers nationwide to remain vigilant, promptly isolate suspected cases, adhere strictly to infection prevention protocols and report suspected infections to the appropriate public health authorities.
He assured Nigerians that the government was taking necessary steps to contain the infection, while urging citizens to maintain good hygiene and seek immediate medical attention if they suspected exposure to the virus.
The minister also stressed the importance of vigilance and prompt reporting in preventing further transmission.
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