WHO: One Ebola Case in Nigeria Doesn't Mean Outbreak

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has asked Nigerians to stay calm. They say that one confirmed case of Ebola does not mean Nigeria is facing an outbreak.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, shared this message in a video on his X account on Wednesday night.
“One imported case does not by itself mean that Nigeria is experiencing an Ebola outbreak,” Mr Janabi said.

He added that the agency is working with the Nigerian government and other partners. They are investigating the case, tracing contacts, conducting lab tests, and protecting health workers and communities.

Mr Janabi encouraged Nigerians to remain calm, keep informed, and follow advice from public health authorities.
“There is no benefit in fear or misinformation,” he said. “What helps is early reporting, cooperation with the health authorities, and reliable information from reliable sources.”

Nigeria Confirms Case

Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on Tuesday. A woman who recently traveled to the country was diagnosed at a private hospital in Abuja. The woman started showing symptoms after arriving in Nigeria and is now being treated in isolation in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated its incident management system. Health authorities have also begun contact tracing. They have identified 44 contacts, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, and travel contacts.

The Nigerian government says the case is being treated as an imported infection and not community transmission.
WHO noted that Nigeria’s response shows the importance of early detection and quick public health action to prevent further transmission.

“Africa has considerable experience in responding to Ebola,” Mr Janabi said. He added that if cases are detected early and contacts are closely monitored, transmission can be stopped.

Expert Raises Diagnosis Concern

Meanwhile, a virologist and Chairman of the West African National Academy of Scientists, Oyewale Tomori, expressed worries about how long it took to confirm the Nigerian case. Speaking on Arise TV on Wednesday night, Mr Tomori said the delay between the start of symptoms and Ebola confirmation should lead health authorities to improve their diagnostic response.

He said health workers should be more alert when treating travelers from areas where Ebola is present. They should not just treat symptoms as common illnesses like malaria.

“If I hear somebody is coming from a country where Ebola is going on, or close to where Ebola has occurred, my first thought would be, is there Ebola?” he said.

Mr Tomori also advised authorities to prepare for the chance that more cases could arise among the 44 contacts being monitored.

DRC Outbreak Continues

The Nigerian case comes during a large Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Bundibugyo virus is still spreading there. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the DRC reported 9,552 confirmed cases and 4,602 related deaths as of 19 October, based on data up to 18 October.

The outbreak has affected 66 of 178 health zones across eight provinces, with Ituri being the most affected province.
Kenya has also reported imported cases linked to the DRC outbreak. As of 20 October, health authorities there reported nine confirmed cases.

Mr Janabi said the changing situation in the DRC is a reminder for countries in Africa to keep strong surveillance, lab readiness, and quick response capacity.