Ebola: NCDC isolates nine fresh contacts as tracing expands

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has isolated nine newly identified contacts of the country’s confirmed Ebola case, bringing the number of primary contacts under surveillance to 53.

The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Sunday during a media briefing in Abuja, saying the additional contacts were identified through further investigations into the imported infection confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory.

The nine contacts comprise the patient’s husband, driver and chef; three people who attended to her at another health facility; and three members of the FCT team involved in collecting samples.

Idris said 44 other contacts had been linked to the health facility where the patient was treated, while investigations continued to identify secondary contacts who might require monitoring or isolation.

He said none of the identified contacts had developed symptoms at the time of the briefing, adding that one person who had been tested returned a negative result but remained under follow-up.

The NCDC chief said all identified contacts would be monitored for 21 days, corresponding to Ebola’s maximum incubation period, while those who developed symptoms would be promptly assessed and isolated where necessary.

“Being identified as a contact does not mean that you have Ebola. It means that public health teams need to assess and monitor your health so that any possible infection can be identified early,” Idris said.

The development comes days after the Federal Government confirmed an imported Ebola infection involving a 42-year-old woman in the FCT who is married to a diplomat with the Swiss Embassy.

Idris also disclosed that two suspected cases had been identified in the FCT and Rivers State, although the suspected case in Rivers tested negative. Nigeria therefore had one confirmed case at the time of the briefing.

He said the NCDC was strengthening surveillance and infection prevention measures, with response teams visiting affected health facilities to assess their systems, address gaps and train personnel on reducing exposure.

The agency is also working to strengthen laboratory preparedness, with about 12 laboratories identified as having the capacity to test for Ebola. Idris said additional reagents, consumables and genomic sequencing capacity were being provided to support the response.

He identified the NCDC National Reference Laboratory in Abuja and the Central Public Health Laboratory in Lagos as facilities with Ebola testing and genomic analysis capabilities.

The NCDC director-general also urged state governments to procure appropriate personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, warning that personnel directly involved in managing Ebola patients require specialised protective gear.

He said the agency had existing stocks and was procuring additional supplies for distribution according to need, while states were expected to provide some equipment based on specifications from the NCDC.

On the condition of the confirmed patient, Idris said she had improved and was able to move around, adding that her husband had tested negative.

Investigations into the patient’s travel history are continuing, with authorities examining her passport and working with counterparts in Ghana to establish further details.

Idris said genomic sequencing was also being used to determine the relationship between the virus detected in Nigeria and strains circulating elsewhere.

He identified the virus as the Bundibugyo strain, which differs from the Zaire strain responsible for Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak. He noted that no vaccine was currently available for the Bundibugyo strain, although vaccine candidates were undergoing clinical trials.

The NCDC urged healthcare facilities to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly isolate suspected cases and strengthen infection prevention measures.

Idris also advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with the bodily fluids of suspected cases, report possible exposure promptly and rely on verified information from authorised public health agencies.