By JKNewsMedia
NIGERIA SAID it has concluded monitoring of all 62 individuals linked to its Ebola index case without recording a single secondary infection, as health authorities maintain heightened surveillance against the disease.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) health authorities confirmed that the final contact had completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period and was discharged without developing Ebola virus disease.
The duo of NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, and the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, announced the development during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.
Idris disclosed that the index patient, who was medically evacuated to Switzerland on 26 October after receiving treatment in Nigeria, tested positive for Ebola upon arrival in the European country.
She subsequently recovered, tested negative and was discharged from hospital.
He explained that the patient continued to test positive while receiving further treatment in Switzerland until a recent laboratory result confirmed that she had been cleared of the infection.
Although all 62 contacts completed monitoring without contracting the disease, Idris cautioned against interpreting the development as a formal declaration that the outbreak had ended.
“The 21-day monitoring period for contacts linked to the index case has been completed, with the last contact discharged today. We are glad to announce that none of the contacts became ill with the disease, meaning no transmission from the index case,” he said.
The NCDC chief revealed that 13 of the monitored individuals developed fever or other non-specific symptoms during the observation period, but laboratory tests returned negative results.
He also disclosed that authorities investigated seven additional suspected cases reported in Adamawa, Rivers, Borno, Lagos and Ekiti states. All seven cases tested negative for Ebola.
Addressing questions surrounding the patient’s medical evacuation, Idris clarified that the decision did not reflect a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system. He maintained that the hospital where she initially received treatment had managed her condition appropriately.
He said the evacuation followed a requirement from the foreign country, while Nigerian and Swiss health authorities maintained communication and exchanged information throughout her treatment.
Despite the absence of secondary infections, Idris warned that Nigeria could not afford to relax its response, particularly as Ebola cases continued to occur in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He confirmed that the National Emergency Operations Centre remained activated at Level 3, the highest response level for Ebola, with surveillance continuing across the country and at international points of entry.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that the NCDC has also classified states according to their exposure levels and risk profiles. States with international airports and international border connections have received priority attention, while other states continue to receive support to strengthen preparedness.
Idris urged Nigerians to seek medical attention promptly whenever they feel unwell and provide healthcare workers with accurate travel histories and information about possible exposure to suspected cases.
He also warned against unprotected contact with the blood and other body fluids of individuals suspected of carrying the infection.
With the December festive season approaching, the NCDC director-general appealed to organisers of religious gatherings, political rallies, concerts and other large public events to provide sanitation facilities, safe drinking water and access to medical assistance.
Providing an account of how authorities detected the index case, Fasawe said a private health facility alerted the FCT Epidemiological Unit after suspecting an Ebola infection.
She explained that the hospital obtained the patient’s travel history, prompting the FCT Rapid Response Team to visit the facility and collect samples for laboratory examination.
Fasawe added that members of the response team who had contact with the patient underwent three weeks of isolation and monitoring without developing the disease.
She credited the early detection to the hospital’s high index of suspicion and urged private healthcare facilities across the FCT to report suspected infectious disease cases without delay.
The Mandate Secretary advised hospitals to contact the NCDC emergency line or the relevant FCT health authorities whenever they encounter suspected cases.
She further disclosed that private hospitals accredited by the FCT had received guidance on the procedures for managing suspected infectious disease cases.
Fasawe commended the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, development partners and FCT administration for their collaboration in coordinating the response.
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