Nigeria isolates 44 contacts as Africa CDC probes airport overlap in Ebola outbreak
Investigators are determining if the first confirmed cases in Nigeria and Kenya crossed paths at Entebbe International Airport, a potential link that could alter the outbreak's trajectory.
By Chinedu Schneider ·
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Thursday that health officials are investigating a possible connection between the first Ebola cases in Nigeria and Kenya. The inquiry focuses on whether the two patients interacted at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda.
Nigeria announced its first Ebola case in more than ten years on Tuesday. The patient is the wife of a diplomat stationed in Abuja. She was born in Uganda, spent September on vacation in that country, and returned to Nigeria earlier this month. Dr. Wessam Mankoula, who leads emergency preparedness at the Africa CDC, stated that the woman is currently receiving treatment.
Authorities have placed 44 close contacts of the Nigerian patient into quarantine. Investigators are working to determine the source of her exposure. The geographic spread of the disease makes this case distinct. Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, is the fourth country on the continent to report an infection during this outbreak. It is the first in West Africa and is located farthest from the epicenter in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The current outbreak began in eastern Congo in May. It has become the fastest spreading recorded to date. At least 4,600 people have died in Congo, with roughly 9,700 infections reported. Neighboring Uganda initially reported about 20 cases but was declared free of the virus in August. Kenya recorded its first case in early October, followed by eight additional confirmed infections.
The first Kenyan patient, who has since died, traveled from Congo to Kenya via Uganda. Both that patient and the Nigerian diplomat’s wife were present at Entebbe International Airport on the same day. Mankoula said the Africa CDC is examining whether there was some sort of interaction between the two cases at the facility. The airport serves as a major transit hub for travelers moving between the affected regions.
Ebola transmits through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or through contaminated items. The disease causes severe fever and can lead to death. Medical guidance indicates that people are generally not considered infectious until symptoms appear. The investigation seeks to clarify if the airport exposure occurred during a symptomatic period for either individual.
Source: NPR
