WHO investigates mystery Ebola case in Nigeria as outbreak spreads beyond DR Congo
The patient is the Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja, who may have contracted the virus while travelling in Uganda
Health authorities are investigating how Nigeria's first Ebola patient in more than a decade contracted the virus, raising concerns about its spread across Africa.
According to The Guardian, the patient is the Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja.
Switzerland's foreign ministry said she had not travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak began in May.
Officials believe she may have contracted the virus while travelling in Uganda, although the source remains unclear.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is investigating a possible connection with an Ebola patient in Kenya, as both reportedly travelled through Uganda's Entebbe airport on 3 October.
However, experts warned that sharing an airport does not necessarily establish a link between infections.
Nigeria's health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, said authorities were continuing contact tracing to prevent community transmission.
“We are trying to contain it so it doesn’t go out to the communities. Hopefully, it won’t get to that and we are working hard to ensure that,” he said.
The outbreak has now affected DR Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.
The current outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists.
More than 9,500 infections have been reported, with nearly half of patients dying.
Health experts are urging faster information-sharing between African countries to prevent further transmission.
