Nigeria quarantines Ebola contacts
The Federal Government has placed 46 contacts of an Ebola patient under quarantine and restricted their travel.
Nigeria's Federal Government has quarantined 46 high-risk contacts of a confirmed Ebola Virus Disease patient in Abuja and restricted their air travel. The government is also strengthening preparedness across states and health facilities to prevent wider community transmission. The index patient, who arrived from Uganda, is showing signs of recovery, and there is currently no evidence of community spread, according to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to place the 46 contacts on a no-fly list. This measure aims to prevent individuals who may develop symptoms from travelling. The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been notified to inform domestic and international airlines of the restriction. Heightened surveillance, including temperature checks and digital health declarations, is in place at international airports.
Contact tracing has identified individuals at the hospital where the patient was treated, her domestic contacts, and a private medical facility visited. High-risk contacts are isolated in a designated facility, while others are monitored. The patient's travel history indicates the case was imported, with symptoms developing days after arrival in Nigeria.
Why it mattersNigeria has confirmed one case of Ebola Virus Disease and is taking measures to prevent its spread.