By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The World Health Organization has confirmed that the Ebola strain detected in Nigeria has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, raising the stakes for health authorities working to contain the country’s first imported case of the disease.
The strain was identified as Bundibugyo, the same virus driving the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s history, which has now spread to multiple African countries.
The case was confirmed on Tuesday in a woman who arrived in Abuja from Uganda on October 3. She developed symptoms on October 7 and sought treatment at a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory on October 11. Laboratory tests confirmed the Bundibugyo strain on October 20.
Olajumoke Babatunde, Director of the Public Health Laboratory Service at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said three levels of molecular tests were conducted to confirm the strain.
The patient, described by officials as a diplomat, has reportedly deteriorated to multi-organ failure. She remains in isolation and is receiving medical care.
The WHO has confirmed that no vaccine exists for the Bundibugyo strain, and there is no specific treatment. This distinguishes the current outbreak from the Zaire strain, for which vaccines have been developed and deployed in previous outbreaks.
The UN health agency said it is working with Nigerian authorities to strengthen case investigation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and the provision of essential supplies including personal protective equipment for health workers.
Despite the absence of a vaccine, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi urged Nigerians to remain calm, stating that “one imported case does not by itself mean that Nigeria is experiencing an Ebola outbreak.”
Nigerian health authorities have identified 44 contacts, primarily healthcare workers and hospital support staff who had contact with the patient before the diagnosis was confirmed.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to place the 46 individuals, the 44 contacts plus two domestic staff, on a no fly list for 21 days to prevent potential spread through air travel.
The NCDC has activated its incident management system and convened an emergency meeting to coordinate the response, with the Incident Action Plan being finalized.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, moved to reassure Nigerians on Wednesday after a meeting at the Presidential Villa, stating that the government is working with Uganda to trace contacts and implement containment measures.
“It is just one case. It is an imported case, and we are containing it,” Pate told State House reporters. He noted that Nigeria had successfully controlled Ebola in 2014 and possesses the institutional capacity to respond again.
On Uganda’s denial that there is an Ebola case in the country, Pate said: “I can only tell you that we are collaborating with our sister nation Uganda. What matters is that we have identified this case and are tracing contacts and implementing containment measures to prevent it from entering the population.”
The minister repeatedly emphasized vigilance but not panic, urging Nigerians to obtain information from trusted public health sources and not to spread rumours. He said he would receive daily reports, and if the situation changes, the government will inform the public promptly.
On the same day, the NCDC held its first incident management meeting, with teams already in the field conducting case management and response work, prioritising surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and risk communication.
Nigeria is the fifth country to detect the Bundibugyo strain since the Democratic Republic of Congo declared an outbreak in mid May. More than 9,500 cases and over 4,200 deaths have been recorded in the DRC as of October 18.
Kenya has reported nine cases, while Uganda and the Netherlands have each recorded one case linked to the DRC outbreak.
The WHO has advised countries in the region to maintain heightened vigilance and strengthen disease surveillance, while advising against travel or trade restrictions on affected countries.
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