Experts, Africa CDC Worry Over Late Detection, Contact Tracing

BY JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH AND PATIENCE IVIE IHEJIRIKA

Nigeria’s response to an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus illness within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has raised considerations over delays in analysis, the adequacy of contact tracing and the preparedness of healthcare services to detect uncommon however lethal infections.

Although the federal authorities says the affected person is recovering and emergency response measures are in place, the time taken to diagnose the an infection and the variety of contacts recognized have drawn consideration to gaps that might complicate efforts to stop additional transmission.

The authorities confirmed the case on October 20, 2026, involving a lady who arrived in Nigeria from Uganda on October 3. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, mentioned laboratory outcomes confirmed vital enchancment in her situation.

“Today I spoke to the clinicians, and I understand that lab results are showing great improvement and there’s a possibility that she will recover from this. But we cannot hold our breath,” Pate mentioned.

However, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised considerations concerning the affected person’s actions by a number of well being services in Abuja earlier than she was examined for Ebola.

According to the Africa CDC director-general, Dr Jean Kaseya, the girl arrived in Nigeria on October 3,  fell ailing three days after her arrival however initially suspected malaria and sought therapy at completely different services earlier than being examined  on October 19.

The interval between the onset of signs and analysis has raised questions on whether or not healthcare employees adequately assessed her journey historical past and thought of the potential for Ebola.

Ebola is a extreme illness that may be transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an contaminated particular person or contaminated supplies. Early detection, immediate isolation and efficient contact tracing are important to containing an outbreak.

Warning concerning the dangers posed by infectious illness outbreaks, Kaseya mentioned: “No one is safe today.”

Prominent virologist Prof. Oyewale Tomori additionally questioned the diagnostic delay, warning that the 44 contacts recognized by well being authorities won’t characterize everybody probably uncovered to the affected person.

The considerations have renewed requires stronger surveillance, improved screening and higher coaching of frontline healthcare employees to establish suspected circumstances promptly

Tomori Questions  Diagnostic Delay

Tomori advised LEADERSHIP Friday that the affected person arrived in Nigeria on October 3, developed signs on October 7 and was admitted to a hospital on October 11 earlier than her Ebola analysis round October 19.

He described the delay as regarding, arguing {that a} extra thorough evaluation of her journey historical past might need prompted healthcare employees to suspect Ebola earlier.

“It’s a bit slow,” he mentioned.

Tomori mentioned healthcare employees ought to have requested about her latest travels, significantly if therapy for a typical sickness equivalent to malaria failed to supply the anticipated enchancment.

“If the people at the first office had actually asked enough good questions about her travel history, then they probably would not have been treating for just malaria,” he mentioned.

He added that subsequent healthcare suppliers also needs to have investigated her journey historical past and doable publicity to areas affected by Ebola.

Tomori harassed the necessity to set up the affected person’s actions throughout the 21 days earlier than the onset of signs, noting that Ebola’s incubation interval ranges from two to 21 days.

He mentioned figuring out the place she had travelled and whom she had encountered was important to understanding the doable supply of an infection and figuring out these in danger.

He cautioned towards drawing conclusions about the place she contracted the virus till the related particulars had been established.

44 Contacts May Not Tell The Full Story

Tomori expressed concern that the 44 contacts recognized by well being authorities won’t account for everybody the affected person encountered whereas ailing.

He mentioned investigators wanted to determine her actions at residence, in hospitals and at different areas earlier than the analysis.

“She was within our health system for at least 11 days or 12 days. So, for 12 days, she was sick, then definitely she would have had contact with many, many people,” he mentioned.

He, nonetheless, mentioned the adequacy of the contact listing couldn’t be decided with out realizing the affected person’s actions and the scope of the investigation.

Tomori urged well being authorities to observe recognized contacts all through the incubation interval and promptly isolate anybody who developed signs.

He advisable common temperature checks and instant isolation of anybody displaying doable signs pending additional investigation.

“Immediately they show temperature, I think you put them straight in isolation until it is proven that they don’t have these diseases,” he mentioned.

Tomori urged Nigerians to not panic, stressing that preparedness and efficient monitoring had been extra essential than worry.

“People shouldn’t fear unnecessarily, no panic. The important thing is preparedness, not panic,” he mentioned.

He defined that individuals contaminated with Ebola weren’t thought of contagious earlier than signs appeared, making shut monitoring of uncovered people important.

He added that Nigeria ought to stay vigilant within the coming weeks, as any extra circumstances amongst contacts would require an applicable response.

Expert Calls  For Stronger Surveillance

An affiliate professor of Infectious Diseases, Pathogen Genomics and Molecular Epidemiology at Adeleke University’s Department of Microbiology, Dr Oladipo Elijah Kolawole, has known as for stronger surveillance, improved screening and steady coaching of frontline healthcare employees to enhance early Ebola detection.

Kolawole, who can also be the founding father of Helix Biogen Institute, mentioned the confirmed case underscored the necessity to strengthen risk-based screening and reporting throughout healthcare services.

He advised LEADERSHIP Friday that Ebola could possibly be tough to recognise in its early phases as a result of signs equivalent to fever, headache, fatigue, muscle ache, vomiting and diarrhoea usually resemble these of malaria, typhoid fever and different infections.

He mentioned testing each affected person with a fever for Ebola can be impractical and expensive as a result of most fever circumstances had been attributable to extra frequent diseases.

Instead, he advocated surveillance programs that establish uncommon signs, patterns of sickness and epidemiological threat elements that might point out a harmful an infection.

Kolawole mentioned healthcare employees ought to routinely ask sufferers about latest journey to areas experiencing outbreaks, contact with critically ailing folks or suspected circumstances of haemorrhagic ailments, and whether or not their signs had been worsening unusually.

He added that clusters of comparable diseases ought to set off additional investigation.

To enhance early detection, he advisable enhanced triage and screening, routine questions on journey and publicity historical past, and digital alerts to flag sufferers who meet particular threat standards.

He additionally known as for risk-based testing, underneath which sufferers with related signs and epidemiological threat elements can be prioritised fairly than testing indiscriminately for each case of fever.

Kolawole harassed the necessity for steady coaching to assist clinicians recognise when to suspect viral haemorrhagic fevers, even when sufferers initially current with signs generally related to different diseases.

He additionally advocated stronger laboratory networks for speedy specimen transportation and testing, alongside higher coordination amongst hospitals, laboratories, state well being authorities and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

On whether or not the most recent case indicated a failure of Nigeria’s surveillance system, Kolawole cautioned towards reaching a conclusion with out analyzing how the case was dealt with.

He mentioned visiting a number of healthcare services earlier than analysis didn’t mechanically point out surveillance failure as a result of uncommon ailments may initially resemble frequent diseases, even in nations with superior well being programs.

The key questions, he mentioned, had been whether or not the case was reported promptly as soon as Ebola turned a sensible risk, whether or not testing was carried out with out pointless delays, and whether or not contact tracing and an infection prevention measures had been activated shortly.

He additionally known as for an evaluation of whether or not uncovered healthcare employees had been recognized and monitored appropriately.

Kolawole warned that delayed recognition of a probably deadly illness in a densely populated metropolis may enhance the variety of folks uncovered and complicate containment.

He urged well being authorities to strengthen risk-based detection, enhance clinicians’ consciousness and set up speedy reporting mechanisms to differentiate uncommon infections from routine diseases.

Index Case Recovering As FG Quarantines High-Risk Contacts

Pate mentioned the affected person was recovering, with laboratory outcomes indicating vital enchancment, though her survival was not assured.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, he mentioned clinicians treating her had reported encouraging developments and urged Nigerians to stay vigilant whereas containment efforts continued.

He mentioned the affected person was asymptomatic when she arrived in Nigeria however developed signs a number of days later.

According to the minister, contact tracing started after affirmation of the an infection. Health authorities recognized contacts on the hospital the place she acquired therapy, a personal clinic she had beforehand visited and amongst her home contacts.

The contacts had been categorised in accordance with their publicity dangers. High-risk contacts had been quarantined at a delegated facility, whereas others had been remoted and monitored in keeping with public well being pointers.

Pate mentioned the measures had been supposed to stop the virus from spreading into the broader group.

He added that the NCDC was coordinating the response with FCT authorities and different related companies.

The authorities had additionally initiated plans to sequence the virus’s genome to enhance understanding of the pathogen. Pate mentioned Professor Christian Happi, a genomics skilled at Redeemer’s University, had been invited to help the NCDC’s work.

He mentioned extra sources had been mobilised, together with funds launched to the NCDC, whereas states had been urged to strengthen their preparedness plans.

The federal authorities was additionally working with improvement companions, the World Health Organisation and the Africa CDC to coordinate the response.

Pate mentioned the federal government had briefed the Presidential Task Force on Ebola preparedness, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the National Economic Council (NEC) to safe political dedication on the highest ranges.

He added {that a} assembly with state commissioners for well being and data was deliberate to enhance coordination and guarantee constant public communication.

FG Rules Out Immediate Restrictions on Public Gatherings

Pate mentioned the federal government was not contemplating restrictions on deliberate public gatherings, together with political campaigns and conferences, as a result of the case remained contained and there was no proof of wider group transmission.

He, nonetheless, mentioned the authorities would assessment their suggestions if new proof or altering circumstances warranted additional measures.

“It’s a contained single case, and we are diligently working to ensure that it remains so. At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” he mentioned.

The minister harassed that selections on public gatherings can be guided by scientific proof and public well being issues.

He additionally urged political leaders to not politicise the outbreak, describing well being as a problem that ought to unite Nigerians throughout political, non secular and ethnic divides.

Pate mentioned surveillance on the nation’s factors of entry had been strengthened, with extra capability deliberate to enhance traveller screening and threat evaluation.

He mentioned Nigeria had gone 5 months with out an imported case regardless of vital worldwide journey, including that the federal government would intensify efforts to stop additional importation and transmission.

FG Warns Against Misinformation

Pate expressed concern about misinformation and public mistrust surrounding the outbreak, insisting that the affected person had examined constructive 3 times.

He urged Nigerians to depend on verified info from public well being authorities, warning that misinformation may undermine containment efforts if folks refused to adjust to isolation, quarantine and different public well being directives.

He additionally appealed to the media to confirm info and keep away from spreading rumours, including that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the NCDC would proceed to offer updates.

The minister mentioned Ebola was transmitted by direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an contaminated particular person or contaminated supplies, not by the air.

He suggested Nigerians to practise common handwashing, keep away from contact with different folks’s bodily fluids and promptly inform well being authorities in the event that they developed signs after doable publicity.

Pate mentioned hospitals had been directed to arrange isolation beds and strengthen an infection prevention and management measures to guard healthcare employees and sufferers.

He urged personal healthcare suppliers to stay vigilant, noting that the affected person had initially sought therapy at a personal facility.

The minister expressed confidence that Nigeria’s expertise in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak, along with its public well being capability and worldwide partnerships, would help the present response.

He urged these recognized by contact tracing to cooperate with well being authorities as efforts continued to stop additional transmission.

 FG Urges 15 States to Strengthen Preparedness Measures

The Federal Government has urged 15 states to strengthen their preparedness and response mechanisms following the affirmation of an imported Ebola case within the FCT.

Pate made the decision whereas briefing the NEC on the nation’s response to the outbreak.

According to an announcement issued on Thursday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications within the Office of the Vice President, 21 states had up to date their response plans, whereas the remaining 15 had been urged to expedite the institution of applicable preparedness and response mechanisms.

Pate gave the replace on the 161st NEC assembly, chaired nearly by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

He assured council members that Nigeria had the institutional capability to comprise the state of affairs, including that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was working with related stakeholders to operationalise a coordinated nationwide response.

He recognized coordination and governance, screening at factors of entry, laboratory testing, logistics for important provides and private protecting tools, and strategic communication as essential parts of the response.

The briefing highlighted the necessity for coordinated motion by federal and state governments to strengthen preparedness and make sure that applicable response programs had been in place.

Meanwhile, the council acquired a report from its Ad Hoc Committee on Polio Eradication, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.

The council resolved to direct states to conduct post-campaign opinions, significantly in areas the place youngsters had been missed throughout immunisation workouts and communities affected by insecurity.

It additionally harassed the necessity for well timed launch of counterpart funds, stronger routine immunisation, improved coordination with safety companies and nearer cooperation amongst states to enhance protection in subsequent campaigns.

The council mentioned sustained dedication from governors, conventional rulers and safety companies remained essential to eradicating polio in Nigeria.