…the patient recently returned from Rwanda, a country that borders Congo, where Ebola have been recorded in the past.
ABUJA, NIGERIA – The iNews Times | The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has officially declared that there is no case of Ebola or Marburg virus in the FCT, quelling widespread fears sparked by reports of a suspected case involving a returnee from Rwanda.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, confirmed that laboratory tests returned negative for both Ebola and Marburg viruses in the individual at the centre of the scare.
“We can confirm that the suspected case tested negative. There is no Ebola or Marburg disease in the FCT,” Dr. Fasawe stated, assuring residents that the capital remains free of any viral hemorrhagic fever threat.
The suspected patient, referred to as “Patient X” to maintain medical confidentiality, had recently returned from Rwanda, a country that borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, where confirmed cases of Ebola have been recorded in the past. The patient began showing symptoms that raised concerns and promptly presented at a medical facility in Abuja.
Dr. Fasawe commended both the patient and the hospital involved for acting responsibly, noting that immediate isolation and protocol adherence played a crucial role in avoiding escalation.
“The patient voluntarily sought medical attention, and the hospital followed infectious disease protocols by isolating the individual and contacting the relevant authorities immediately. That is how our health system is designed to work,” she said.
She praised the FCTA’s surveillance and rapid response systems, which she said are more robust than those in many other states. “This is not the first suspected case we’ve had this year, but our effective surveillance system has enabled early detection and swift containment,” she added.
Sounding a note of public health education, Dr. Fasawe urged residents to take symptoms seriously and not assume every illness is malaria.
“Every fever is not malaria,” she warned. “If you experience any unusual symptoms particularly bleeding from the nose, eyes, ears, or other orifices – it is a medical emergency. Do not hesitate to report to the nearest health facility immediately.”
With the all-clear given, the FCTA is calling for vigilance rather than panic, encouraging Abuja residents to continue observing basic hygiene and to seek medical care early for any suspicious symptoms.
