Concerns over a possible Ebola outbreak have emerged in Nigeria following reports that a woman who recently returned from Uganda tested positive for the virus at Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja.
According to the report, the infection was confirmed at the Turkish-run hospital, with officials familiar with the development reportedly disclosing the case.
The woman’s identity and circumstances surrounding her alleged infection remain unclear, including whether she had contact with an infected person before arriving in Nigeria.
The report further claimed that the Federal Ministry of Health had begun mobilising funds to support surveillance, contact tracing and other measures aimed at preventing possible transmission.
However, official confirmation of the reported case from Nigerian health authorities has not been established.
Ebola virus disease is a highly infectious and potentially fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals displaying symptoms or through contaminated materials.
Common symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. Severe cases may involve vomiting, diarrhoea and internal or external bleeding.
Nigeria last experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2014 following the arrival of an infected traveller from Liberia.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak resulted in 19 laboratory-confirmed cases, one probable case and eight deaths.
Health authorities identified and monitored 894 contacts during the outbreak, implementing isolation, laboratory testing and surveillance measures to contain the virus.
The coordinated response involving federal and state health agencies, alongside international partners, successfully brought the outbreak under control.
The latest reported case has renewed concerns about Nigeria’s preparedness for another potential outbreak, although confirmation from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) or the Federal Ministry of Health remains necessary to establish whether Ebola has returned to the country.
