WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The World Health Organization said it is assisting Nigeria following confirmation of the first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the country.
The patient is a woman who recently traveled from Uganda and began showing symptoms on October 7, four days after her arrival.
The woman sought care at a private health facility in the capital, Abuja, on October 11; laboratory testing confirmed the diagnosis on October 20.
She remains in isolation and is receiving medical care as investigations continue to determine the likely source of her infection and reconstruct her full travel and exposure history, WHO said.
The UN health agency said the Nigerian health authorities have so far identified 44 contacts who are being monitored amid intensified efforts to find other people who may have been exposed.
Infection prevention and control measures are being ramped up in the private health facility where the woman sought care.
Nigeria is the fifth country to detect Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May - the deadliest in the country's history.
More than 9,500 cases and more than 4,200 deaths were recorded as of October 18, according to latest data from the Congolese health authorities. There is currently no vaccine to treat the virus.
Uganda also faced a deadly outbreak which was officially declared over in late August, while nine cases have been reported in Kenya and one in the Netherlands that are linked to the DR Congo.
The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its incident management system to coordinate response efforts, WHO said.
Meanwhile, WHO has advised all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness as the DRC outbreak continues to evolve.
Governments are also advised to maintain strong disease surveillance and ensure that laboratories can safely test suspected cases, among other measures.
WHO has not recommended any restrictions regarding travel and trade with affected countries.
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