The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) yesterday said a newly suspected Ebola case reported in Rivers State tested negative.
At a briefing on Nigeria’s response it said the monitoring of contacts linked to the index case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was ongoing.
NCDC said: ‘A newly suspected case reported in Rivers State has tested negative for Ebola disease.
‘The only confirmed case recorded in the FCT remains in isolation and is receiving treatment. No deaths have been recorded.
‘Contacts identified have risen to 53 including healthcare workers and household members and are being followed up for 21 days.’
NCDC Director-General Dr Jide Idris said investigations were ongoing to establish the source of infection and trace the confirmed patient’s movements before she was diagnosed.
The 53 contacts comprise 44 people at a health facility and nine others identified during further investigations.
The additional contacts include three household members three healthcare workers at a university teaching hospital the patient visited before arriving at the facility where her infection was identified and three members of the team that collected her samples.
Idris said the number could change as investigations progressed and more people who might have been exposed to the virus were identified.
Health officials are interviewing the contacts to establish whom they have interacted with and determine whether additional people need to be monitored.
Those without symptoms may be monitored at home with their temperatures checked twice daily while anyone who develops symptoms will be assessed promptly and isolated where necessary.
Idris urged those identified as contacts to cooperate with public health officials stressing that being listed did not mean they had contracted the disease.
Financial assistance considered
The NCDC chief said the government was considering financial assistance of N100000 weekly for the 53 contacts to cushion the effects of isolation on their businesses and families.
He said some of those being monitored had complained that the restrictions were affecting their livelihoods and family responsibilities.
Idris however indicated that the proposed assistance would require coordination with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration which could take over the process.
He urged state governments to prepare for similar situations should the outbreak require restrictions that affect the livelihoods of people placed under monitoring.
On the confirmed patient Idris said her condition had improved while tests on her husband had returned negative.
‘The husband has been with the wife. The husband is negative. They travelled together to various places so the travel history is still unfolding to give us a clear picture’ he said.
He explained that the patient arrived in Nigeria without symptoms making it difficult to detect the infection through routine screening.
‘It was in reviewing the history that we started hearing about the case. Because she was symptomless there was no way it could be tested at that point’ he said.
The NCDC DG said the national incident management system had been activated to coordinate the response involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare the NCDC FCT health authorities other government agencies and technical partners.
He said the agency had stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) and was expecting additional supplies for healthcare facilities and states managing suspected cases and contacts.
‘We have PPE right now we have stocks we are getting in more and we are prioritising for close contacts where they are very necessary’ he said.
Idris stressed that protective equipment must be appropriate to the duties being performed noting that healthcare workers treating patients require different levels of protection from those carrying out other tasks.
On diagnostic capacity he said Nigeria had identified about 12 laboratories capable of testing for Ebola including the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology in Lagos.
According to him laboratory readiness is being strengthened through additional reagents consumables and technical support while genomic sequencing is ongoing to help establish the relationship between the virus detected in the patient and previously identified strains.
He cautioned however that not all laboratories had the biosafety infrastructure and expertise required to handle Ebola samples.
Idris said the Bundibugyo strain responsible for the outbreak had no approved vaccine although vaccine candidates were undergoing clinical trials.
He added that any potential treatment must comply with established clinical and regulatory protocols.
He urged healthcare facilities to strengthen infection prevention and control measures maintain a high index of suspicion and report suspected cases promptly.
Healthcare workers he said should implement protective measures immediately when they encounter a suspected case rather than wait for laboratory confirmation.
The NCDC chief also advised Nigerians to avoid misinformation and rely on verified updates from authorised health agencies.
He urged the public to practice regular hand hygiene avoid direct contact with the bodily fluids of suspected cases and promptly report possible exposure or symptoms.
‘Our immediate priority is to identify and follow up all contacts protect healthcare workers provide appropriate care and prevent transmission into the wider community’ he said.
Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Dr Jean Kaseya had said the index patient was born in Uganda and arrived in Abuja with her husband on October 3.
The husband is a diplomat with the Switzerland Embassy in Nigeria.
Kebbi strengthens border surveillance
In Kebbi State the government has intensified measures to prevent the possible importation and spread of Ebola.
The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Dr Zaki Abubakar Zaki disclosed this in a statement made available to reporters in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.
He said the ministry through its Department of Public Health had strengthened disease surveillance and screening of travellers at the Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport Birnin Kebbi and designated land border entry points across the state.
Passengers arriving at and departing from the airport are being screened at designated gates to facilitate the early detection of suspected cases and identify travellers exhibiting symptoms consistent with Ebola.
Similar screening measures have been introduced at three land border entry points in Bagudo Kamba and Arewa local government areas.
Zaki said the measures were designed to ensure the prompt identification of suspected cases timely referral for medical assessment and implementation of appropriate public health interventions to minimise the risk of transmission.
He added that the ministry had supplied PPE to all general hospitals across the state to strengthen infection prevention and control.
The state government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting residents through proactive surveillance stronger border screening and coordination with relevant health authorities and stakeholders.
It urged residents and travellers to remain vigilant cooperate with health officials and promptly report suspected symptoms to the appropriate authorities.
Lagos steps up surveillance
The Lagos State Government also intensified disease surveillance and preparedness following the confirmation of the imported Ebola Bundibugyo virus case in Abuja saying no suspected case had been detected in the state.
Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi said the state was strengthening surveillance public awareness and collaboration with relevant agencies to ensure early detection and a prompt response to any suspected case.
In a statement Abayomi said the Ministry of Health had conducted an assessment and strategic engagement with airport management Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos.
He said the engagement focused on passenger screening information sharing infection prevention and control and coordination of emergency response measures.
The ministry is also intensifying public enlightenment on the symptoms transmission and prevention of Ebola Virus Disease.
Abayomi urged residents to remain calm but vigilant warning that Ebola is a severe disease that can be fatal.
He said the virus spreads mainly through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of infected people showing symptoms contaminated materials and the bodies of people who have died from the disease. Transmission may also occur through contact with infected animals.
Symptoms may appear between two and 21 days after exposure and include fever severe weakness headache muscle pain sore throat vomiting diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Unexplained bleeding or bruising may also occur.
He advised people who develop symptoms particularly after possible exposure or travel from an area with active transmission to seek prompt medical assessment.
The commissioner noted that early Ebola symptoms could resemble malaria and other common illnesses urging residents to avoid self-medication.
He added that under Lagos State’s fever-management policy people with fever should undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial drugs.
Those who test negative should be assessed by a healthcare professional for other possible causes.
Residents were also advised to wash their hands regularly avoid contact with the bodily fluids of sick people and potentially contaminated materials and stay away from sick or dead wild animals.
Abayomi urged travellers arriving in Nigeria particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission to cooperate with Port Health Services provide accurate travel and health information when requested and comply with public health guidance.
Anyone who suspects exposure to the virus should contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
Residents can report suspected cases or exposure concerns through the state’s emergency numbers 112 or 767 or contact the Directorate of Epidemiology Biosecurity and Global Health on 0802 316 9485.
Abayomi said the government would continue to monitor developments strengthen its response capacity and provide updates as necessary.