NCDC Identifies 2 New Suspected Ebola Cases And 53 Primary Contacts in Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified 53 people who came into contact with Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient in Abuja, as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent the further spread of the virus.

The agency’s Director-General, Jide Idris, disclosed this on Sunday during a media briefing in Abuja, noting that the identified individuals included healthcare workers, the patient’s husband, domestic staff and others who had contact with her.

According to Idris, 44 of the 53 contacts were linked to the health facility where the patient received treatment. The remaining nine included household members, her driver, chef, people who attended to her at Julius Berger Clinic before she was transferred to another facility, and members of the team responsible for collecting her samples.

He explained that all identified contacts had been assessed and categorised according to their level of exposure, with public health teams closely monitoring them for any signs of infection.

However, the NCDC chief reassured Nigerians that none of the 53 contacts had tested positive for Ebola or developed symptoms as of the time of the briefing.

Idris also revealed that the agency had investigated two cases, including the confirmed case in Abuja and a suspected case in Rivers State. The suspected case in Rivers tested negative for Ebola.

Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20 after a woman who had travelled to the country was diagnosed at a private hospital in Abuja.

The NCDC said the patient tested positive in three separate samples, while a sample collected from her husband returned a negative result.

Health authorities are continuing to monitor the identified contacts as part of efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission of the virus.