A genomic analysis of the only confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria so far shows that the virus is closely related to the strain found in the original case in Kenya, Nigeria's Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said. He said the result represents the first genetic link between the two outbreaks.
“The virus appears to be closely related to the original case in Kenya“, Pate said. He clarified that the genetic similarity alone does not prove how the infection reached Nigeria.
Nigerian authorities said there was no evidence that the person who started the spread in Kenya had traveled to Nigeria or had direct contact with the Nigerian patient. The search for people who had been in contact with the infected person is ongoing. They are being quarantined and tested, with some results already negative and others still pending.
Only one confirmed case in Nigeria
There has been only one confirmed case of Ebola in Nigeria. It was a traveler who had visited Uganda. At this stage, authorities have not reported any confirmed spread of the virus beyond the initial case.
Genetic data can help health authorities clarify the origin and route of infection, but it does not provide a definitive answer as to whether the two cases are linked through direct transmission. Therefore, contact tracing and laboratory testing remain the main measures in Nigeria.
Uganda tightens border controls
Uganda, which borders the Democratic Republic of Congo and has experienced Ebola outbreaks in the past, has said it has no cases of the disease on its territory. However, the country is tightening precautions.
Uganda's Ministry of Health has reintroduced passenger tracing forms for all arrivals, regardless of the country they come from. Travelers who have visited the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak occurred, will not be allowed to transit through Uganda.
The new measures are part of a regional response to cases in Nigeria and Kenya. The link between the two virus strains has been confirmed at the genetic level, but the specific route of infection in Nigeria has not yet been established.
Sources: bta.bg, reuters.com