Ebola: Uganda asks Nigeria for patient’s records
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Vanguard
Uganda is asking Nigeria for the travel records and clinical data of a woman with Ebola who is isolated in Abuja after travelling through Uganda. Kampala wants to determine whether contact tracing is needed, while stressing that infection cannot yet be attributed to Ugandan territory, according to its Ministry of Health.
Uganda has asked Nigeria to provide the detailed travel history and clinical records of a Nigerian woman who tested positive for Ebola in Abuja, to assess whether further contact tracing is needed, Charles Olaro, director general of health services at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, said on Tuesday, according to Vanguard.
The patient had returned to Nigeria after a work trip to eastern DR Congo and transited through Uganda in early October. She had no symptoms at the time, which appeared after her arrival in Nigeria. Ugandan authorities stress that the transit alone does not establish that the infection occurred on their territory, and that the place of exposure remains to be determined.
Kampala said it was awaiting information from Lagos to continue the investigation and strengthen screening at entry points with the relevant agencies. Uganda says it has no confirmed active Ebola cases and maintains limited arrangements for humanitarian and diplomatic travel.
Uganda’s request comes the day after Nigeria confirmed an Ebola case in Abuja on 20 October, as reported in Nigeria confirms Ebola case in Abuja. Nigerian authorities had also identified 44 people who had contact with the patient, according to the contact-tracing update.
Summary produced with the help of artificial intelligence tools, under AFREEQUE’s editorial responsibility.
