Nigeria has stepped up health screening at Lagos airport, with arriving international passengers undergoing temperature checks following the country’s first confirmed case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. The case was reported earlier this week in a patient who had travelled from Uganda through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The development has heightened concerns about the spread of the virus across Africa. Some passengers expressed fears about the potential impact of an outbreak in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. Patrick Akwongu, who arrived from Italy via Addis Ababa, said he was worried about the reports of Ebola-related deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
Others appeared more confident. Bezalel Mfashingabo, arriving from Nairobi, said he was not particularly worried but was taking precautions and trusted health authorities to isolate infected people. Nigeria’s health authorities say the confirmed patient is isolated and in stable condition. Officials have identified 44 contacts and are working to trace others who may have been exposed. Health experts remain cautiously optimistic about Nigeria’s ability to contain the outbreak, pointing to its successful response to an Ebola outbreak in 2014. However, concerns have emerged over reports that the current patient was not tested for Ebola until 13 days after symptoms began.
The World Health Organization has described the situation as a complex outbreak, with cases reported across several African countries. DR Congo has been battling a major outbreak since May, while Kenya has also reported cases. Uganda, which previously experienced cases, was declared Ebola-free in August. Authorities are intensifying surveillance and contact tracing as they seek to prevent further transmission in Nigeria.
