By Ghazali Ibrahim
Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case has been found to be genetically closely related to the virus detected in Kenya’s first case, with genomic analysis showing a difference of just one mutation between the two samples.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Friday, October 23, while giving an update on the country’s response to the outbreak.
According to Channels Television, the analysis was conducted through a collaboration between the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.
Pate, however, said the finding had not established a direct epidemiological link between Nigeria’s case and Kenya’s index patient.
“There is no evidence of travel by that index case in Kenya that links it to Nigeria, but the viruses appear to be related,” the minister said, according to Punch.
He added that further investigations were needed to establish the possible route through which the infection reached Nigeria.
The development comes as health authorities continue to investigate the source of Nigeria’s first confirmed case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a rare form of Ebola, reported in Abuja on October 20.
The patient, a woman who travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, reportedly developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in the country. She sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11 before laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.
The World Health Organisation said 44 contacts had been identified as of October 20 and were being monitored by health authorities.
The NCDC has activated its incident management system and is working with health authorities and international partners on contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures.
The Federal Government has also intensified surveillance and preparedness measures in health facilities to improve the identification and management of suspected cases.
In its October 23 update, the WHO said the outbreak remained active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while imported cases had been reported in Kenya and Nigeria.
As of October 20, the DRC had recorded 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths. Kenya had reported nine cases, including one death, with the additional cases linked to its imported index patient.
The WHO said investigations into Nigeria’s case were continuing to establish the patient’s travel history and likely source of exposure.
There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease, making early detection, isolation, contact tracing and supportive medical care important in controlling its spread.
