Uganda’s Ministry of Health has clarified that the female patient presenting Ebola symptoms in Nigeria only “transited through Uganda”, stating that her travel history does not establish the country as the location of exposure.
“We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has no confirmed active Ebola cases,” Uganda’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
The World Health Organisation declared Uganda Ebola-free in August after a Bundibugyo strain in the country killed two people, and there were no new reported cases since June.
Health minister Ali Pate on Tuesday announced that a female traveller from Uganda was isolated and receiving treatment at a private hospital in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja.
Peoples Gazette confirmed the hospital to be Nizamiye Hospital.
“A person who recently arrived Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” Mr Pate said in a statement on Tuesday.
However, Uganda’s health ministry said the female patient showed no symptoms while travelling through Uganda, clarifying that she developed symptoms only after arriving in Nigeria.
“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here,” Uganda authorities clarified. “The location of exposure remains under investigation.”
Uganda said it had not yet received the patient’s travel and clinical history to aid investigation and contact tracing.
“The government of Nigeria is yet to provide detailed information on her travel itinerary and clinical history, which will guide further investigations and any necessary contact tracing,” Uganda added.
Mr Pate said 44 contacts traced to the carrier had been placed under isolation and surveillance for the next three weeks, clarifying the diagnosed case was not community transmission.
“At this moment, we are treating it as an imported case, not community transmission,” Mr Pate said on Tuesday.
Ebola symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, and severe muscle pain. Nigerians were advised to call the NCDC toll-free line 6232 to report suspected cases.
The WHO reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 8,728 confirmed Ebola cases, resulting in more than 4,200 deaths. In Uganda, 20 cases were recorded, with two deaths.
Kenya recorded its first imported case on October 6 and a ninth patient on Tuesday.
Uganda was declared Ebola-free in August after completing the WHO’s required 42-day period without a new case.
The full statement from Uganda’s Ministry of Health
