Nigeria on Tuesday joined the fast-moving Ebola outbreak first declared in eastern Congo in mid-May. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no approved vaccine or drug.
The disease has now spread to four other countries, including two where it remains active. It has reached three regions across Africa, making it the most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak in history.
The World Health Organization said this is the fastest-growing outbreak of Ebola on record. A recurring problem in the spread across the continent is lax surveillance, as most initial cases were confirmed long after individuals began showing symptoms or after travelling.
Nigeria confirmed its infection in the capital, Abuja. The patient is a woman who arrived from Uganda about two weeks ago. She began showing symptoms on Oct. 7 and was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja on Oct. 11, where she received her diagnosis.
The exact date of her arrival in Nigeria is unconfirmed. Health Minister Muhammad Pate said authorities had begun tracing 44 people identified as contacts of the patient and were doing everything possible to contain this case.
Uganda confirmed an Ebola outbreak on the same day as neighbouring Congo after detecting the infection in a man travelling from Congo. The first cases in Uganda involved Congolese patients who crossed the border to seek treatment for an unknown illness before authorities identified Ebola.
The WHO declared the Uganda outbreak over on Aug. 27. It recorded 20 confirmed cases, including 15 patients from Congo, with 18 recoveries and two deaths. More than 800 contacts were identified and monitored, and the country stated on Tuesday that it has no new cases.
Kenya announced its first Ebola case on Oct. 6. The patient was a man who travelled from Congo via Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on Oct. 3. He tested positive for Ebola on Oct. 5 and died the same day.
Ebola cases in Kenya have since increased to nine. This total includes four relatives of the first patient and four health workers. Authorities have identified 135 contacts linked to the nine patients, with 134 placed in quarantine.
Kenya’s Health Ministry stated there was still no evidence of transmission beyond known contacts of the first patient. France is the only non-African country to record a case during this outbreak.
France confirmed a positive case in June involving a doctor travelling back from Congo after a humanitarian mission. The individual received care at a specialised facility and recovered, being discharged on July 4 according to the WHO.
