Nigeria Records First Ebola Case After Flight from Uganda

Nigeria announced the registration of its first Ebola virus infection, at a time when the disease continues to spread in several African countries, amid health warnings about the severity of the outbreak and its widening geographic scope.

Nigerian Minister of Health Muhammad Ali Pate said the infected person arrived on a flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital, where she received medical care for several days before her infection was confirmed. He added, in a statement, that the patient is currently under isolation and receiving the necessary medical care.

In contrast, the Ugandan Ministry of Health announced that there are no active or confirmed cases of the Ebola virus in the country.

The ministry stressed that travelers passing through Uganda do not necessarily contract the virus within its territory.

In Kenya, the Ministry of Health announced the recording of the ninth Ebola case, indicating ongoing health concerns related to the spread of the disease.

Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, warned of the expanding scope of the Bundibugyo strain Ebola outbreak.

Kaseya said the outbreak had become "the most geographically widespread in history," after affecting several countries in three regions of the African continent.

The health official called on the international community to act urgently to provide funding, medical supplies, and healthcare workers to help contain the spread of the virus.

He said in an appeal to the international community: "Act now."