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The wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja has been identified as the first confirmed Ebola patient in Nigeria’s latest case, with authorities investigating how she contracted the virus.
The Ugandan-born woman tested positive for Ebola on October 20 after travelling to Uganda, according to information released by Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry.
The ministry said it believed the woman contracted the infection during her trip to the East African country.
“She is believed to have contracted the virus whilst travelling to Uganda around two weeks ago,” the ministry said.
It also confirmed that the woman’s husband had been isolated as a precautionary measure but had not developed symptoms.
“Her husband is in isolation; he has not shown any symptoms. He was travelling with his wife when she is believed to have contracted Ebola,” the ministry added.
Questions remain about the woman’s movements before she tested positive, particularly reports that she may have visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Ugandan officials reportedly indicated that the woman had travelled to eastern DRC before going to Uganda. However, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said there was no verified information confirming the reported journey.
Wessam Mankoula of Africa CDC said: “So far, there is no validated information (that) this case traveled to DRC.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) also provided details about the woman’s travel history before she returned to Nigeria.
Pavel Ursu, the WHO representative in Nigeria, said: “The facts which we have received is that the patient returned to Abuja on October 3, being away from September 16 in Uganda.”
The woman remains hospitalised, with reports indicating that her biochemical markers are improving.
The infection involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus. Investigations are continuing to establish the source of the infection and determine the circumstances surrounding her exposure.
Health authorities are also monitoring the situation and assessing potential exposure risks as efforts continue to contain the case.
