Ebola in Abuja: NCDC Says Patient Has Developed Multi-Organ Failure

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that the condition of the woman diagnosed with Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has deteriorated to multi-organ failure.

The agency also confirmed that the infection was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a variant for which there is currently no licensed vaccine or specifically approved treatment.

Olajumoke Babatunde, the NCDC’s Director of Public Health Laboratory Services, disclosed the development on Wednesday during an emergency meeting in Abuja.

According to Babatunde, laboratory officials conducted three levels of molecular testing before confirming the strain responsible for the infection.

“The patient’s condition has deteriorated. We did three levels of tests, but all were molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” she said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also confirmed that the Nigerian case involves the Bundibugyo virus, which is responsible for the ongoing outbreak linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).

The patient, identified by officials as a diplomat, is receiving medical care in isolation. Her nationality has not been disclosed in the reports available.

According to information provided by health authorities, the woman travelled from Uganda to Abuja earlier in October and developed symptoms on October 7. She presented at a private hospital in the FCT on October 11, where she was initially treated for symptoms resembling malaria before Ebola was suspected and laboratory testing confirmed the infection.

The NCDC has identified 44 close contacts, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts. Those identified are being monitored as contact-tracing activities continue to determine whether additional people may have been exposed.

Surveillance has also been intensified as health authorities work to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.

The Bundibugyo strain presents a particular challenge because there is currently no licensed vaccine or specifically approved antiviral treatment for the disease it causes. The WHO has identified candidate vaccines and treatments for evaluation through clinical trials, while recommending supportive medical care and established outbreak-control measures.

These measures include early identification and isolation of suspected cases, strict infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities, contact tracing and public cooperation.

The development has heightened concern over Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola case in more than a decade. However, the identification of 44 contacts does not mean those individuals are infected; they are being monitored because they may have been exposed.

Health authorities are continuing investigations and surveillance while providing care to the patient and working to reduce the risk of further transmission.