The Federal Government has said genomic analysis shows that the Ebola virus detected in Nigeria is closely related to the strain identified in Kenya, but further investigations are needed to establish whether the two cases are directly linked.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Friday while providing an update on Nigeria’s confirmed case.
He said the analysis was conducted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Institute of Genomics and Global Health at Redeemer’s University, Ede, led by Prof. Christian Happi.
Pate stressed that genetic similarities between the viruses do not establish a direct transmission link. Authorities have found no evidence that Kenya’s initial patient travelled to Nigeria or had a direct connection with the Nigerian case.
Nigeria confirmed one Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20 involving a woman who travelled from Uganda. Contact tracing is ongoing, with some identified contacts testing negative and other results pending.
The minister said the government was strengthening surveillance, laboratory testing, case management and infection prevention measures. The NCDC is also scheduled to begin issuing daily public updates from October 24.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm, follow official health guidance and avoid spreading unverified information.
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