The Federal Government says Nigeria’s Ebola case is genetically related to the index case found in Kenya.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at a press conference to give an update on the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, outbreak.
He said genomic analysis showed that the virus isolated from Nigeria’s only confirmed case appears closely related to the virus found in Kenya.
He said the analysis was done using laboratories of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, and Prof. Christian Happi’s laboratory at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
“That case appears to be closely related to the case identified in the index case in Kenya. That is all that we can say at this stage 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,” Pate said.
The Minister said the finding may change understanding of how the virus entered Nigeria, but more evidence is needed, noting that Nigeria still has only one confirmed case. The case is a traveller who came in from Uganda.
Pate said all contacts linked to the case have been traced, quarantined and are being tested. Some results are negative while others are still pending.
He said the government has activated its Incident Management System through the NCDC and Federal Ministry of Health to stop further spread.
