Late Detection in Nigeria Raises Alarm as Ebola Spreads Across Africa
Officials say 44 contacts have been identified as late testing raises concerns about tracing possible infections and border screening.
- On Tuesday, Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in over a decade, after officials reported a 13-day delay in testing the patient who arrived in Abuja from Uganda.
- The patient, a Ugandan-born diplomat's wife, arrived in Abuja on October 3 and fell ill three days later, initially suspecting malaria before visiting multiple facilities and receiving an Ebola test on October 19.
- Health authorities are tracing 44 contacts, and Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya warned the count is bound to rise as the patient interacted with health workers, family, and friends during two weeks before diagnosis.
- Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate stated authorities presume the virus was picked up in Uganda, as Nigeria has not confirmed travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- World Health Organization Africa regional director Mohamed Janabi warned Thursday that the continent now faces a 'complex' Ebola outbreak, with Nigeria's inclusion requiring redrawing regional containment strategies.
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Africa CDC Chief Warns 'No Country Is Safe' As Ebola Reaches Nigeria
The latest Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 4,700 people and is still spreading, with Nigeria recording its first case in more than a decade. The epidemic is not yet under control and tighter surveillance is needed, Jean Kaseya, director general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, told RFI.
Late detection in Nigeria raises alarm as Ebola spreads across Africa
Nigeria has reported its first Ebola case in over a decade, with authorities confirming the infection was detected nearly two weeks after the woman began showing symptoms. It remains unclear how much the virus has spread.
Nigeria Ebola detection delay raises outbreak alarm
ABUJA/DAKAR, Oct 22 - Nigeria's first Ebola patient in over a decade was not tested for the disease until 13 days after falling ill, officials said, a delay that raises questions about authorities' ability to contain an outbreak already spanning four African nations.
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