Nigeria’s Ebola case appears genetically related to the index case identified in Kenya, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Pate has disclosed.
Pate announced the finding during a news conference in Abuja on Friday night while updating the public on the government’s response to Nigeria’s confirmed imported Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case.
He said additional genomic analysis had revealed similarities between the viruses detected in the two cases. However, officials have not established a direct link between the Kenyan case and Nigeria’s infection.
Nigeria Ebola Case Under Further Investigation
According to Pate, the genomic analysis received support from public health laboratories at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the laboratory led by Prof. Christian Happi at Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State.
The minister stressed that the findings remained preliminary and that officials could not yet explain how the virus reached Nigeria.
He said there was no evidence that the Kenyan index case had travelled to Nigeria or that such travel connected the two cases.
Although the viruses appeared genetically related, Pate said investigators needed further evidence to understand the possible route of transmission.
Government Continues Ebola Response
The genomic findings could help public health authorities investigate the origin and spread of the virus. However, genetic similarities alone do not establish the precise route through which an infection occurred.
The Federal Government has continued its response to Nigeria’s confirmed imported Ebola case as health authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the infection.
Further investigation will be necessary to clarify the relationship between the Nigerian case and the case identified in Kenya.