The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has confirmed that the Ebola virus detected in Nigeria is highly similar to the virus recognized in Kenya’s first imported case.
Mr Pate disclosed this on Friday throughout a briefing on the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja, saying genomic sequencing confirmed that the viruses differed by just one mutation.
He mentioned the evaluation was carried out by sequencing groups on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Institute of Genomics and Global Health at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State, with the crew led by virologist Christian Happi.
However, he cautioned that the discovering doesn’t set up how the Nigerian first case acquired the infection.
“Based on the genomic analysis, there is no evidence of travel of that index case in Kenya that links it to Nigeria, but the viruses are appearing to be related,” he mentioned.
He added that the discovering may change the understanding of the route of transmission as additional investigations and testing proceed.
Kenya has thus far recorded 9 confirmed Ebola circumstances attributable to Bundibugyo virus, together with one dying, in accordance to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Eight of the circumstances had been linked to the nation’s first imported case from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), together with 4 healthcare staff.
Africa CDC probes hyperlink
The genomic discovering got here on the identical day the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said it’s investigating a attainable connection between Nigeria’s case and Kenya’s first imported case.
The company mentioned each sufferers had travelled by means of Entebbe International Airport in Uganda on 3 October, prompting investigations into whether or not they had shared tools or had different contact. Africa CDC, nevertheless, careworn that no connection had been established between the infections.
The Kenyan affected person travelled from the DRC by means of Uganda earlier than arriving in Nairobi. He later died, turning into the primary recorded Ebola dying in Kenya’s present outbreak.
The Nigerian affected person additionally handed by means of Uganda, however Ugandan authorities had earlier rejected ideas that this established the nation because the supply of her infection.
Uganda denies energetic case
On 21 October, Uganda’s Ministry of Health mentioned it had no confirmed energetic Ebola case and that the Nigerian affected person’s transit by means of the nation didn’t set up that she contracted the virus there.
The ministry mentioned preliminary data indicated that the Nigerian girl had travelled to jap DRC for enterprise and handed by means of Uganda in early October with out exhibiting signs. It mentioned the placement of her publicity remained below investigation.
The new genomic discovering now supplies proof of similarity between the Nigerian and Kenyan infections, though Nigerian authorities haven’t established that the affected person was contaminated in Kenya.
One confirmed case
Mr Pate mentioned Nigeria nonetheless has just one confirmed Ebola case and that authorities had been persevering with contact tracing, quarantine and extra testing of contacts.
Some checks have returned detrimental outcomes, whereas others are pending, he mentioned.
He urged Nigerians to stay vigilant however calm, saying there is no such thing as a want for panic.
“We will continue to work diligently to ensure that we contain this virus as much as possible, and that we avoid a situation that spills over to the communities,” he mentioned.
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The minister mentioned the federal government can also be strengthening infection prevention and management measures in well being amenities and would prepare well being staff on how to establish and handle suspected circumstances.
He urged hospitals to notify public well being authorities of suspected circumstances and inspired Nigerians to observe primary preventive measures, together with common handwashing and hygiene.
Mr Pate additionally mentioned Ebola will not be at the moment recognized to be transmitted by means of the air however by means of shut contact with contaminated physique fluids.
He urged Nigerians to depend on data from public well being authorities, together with the NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation and Africa CDC, reasonably than unverified data on social media.
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