WHO Confirms No Vaccine or Treatment for Ebola Strain Detected in Nigeria

• Nigeria confirmed a case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after a diplomat landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET333
• The WHO confirmed Nigeria is the fifth country to detect the virus since the DRC declared an outbreak in May 2026, with Kenya also reporting cases
• Health officials revealed the infected diplomat has deteriorated into multi-organ failure, raising serious concerns about containment efforts

Nigeria is grappling with a confirmed Ebola case involving the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, with the World Health Organisation warning that no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists for it.

The patient, described as a diplomat, is reported to have arrived in Abuja on 3 October 2026, after flying into Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET333.

A senior aviation official, speaking on condition of anonymity as she was not authorised to brief the press, disclosed the flight details to journalists, noting that the information is vital for contact tracing operations.

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Bundibugyo Strain Confirmed Through Multiple Tests

Olajumoke Babatunde, Director of the Public Health Laboratory Service at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, confirmed the identification of the strain at an emergency meeting of health ministry officials.

"We did three levels of tests, but all molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo," she said.

The WHO subsequently backed that finding, confirming both the strain and the absence of any approved medical countermeasures.

Officials present at the emergency meeting disclosed that the diplomat's condition had worsened significantly, with the patient now in multi-organ failure. The individual's nationality has not been made public.

Nigeria is now the fifth country to record the virus since the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak on 15 May 2026. Kenya has separately reported nine cases in recent weeks, linked to an imported case.

Uganda Distances Itself as WHO Urges Vigilance

The Ugandan government responded by requesting Nigeria share the patient's complete travel and medical records, firmly stating that no Ebola cases had been recorded within its own borders and that the patient could not have contracted the disease on Ugandan soil.

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The WHO said it is working closely with Nigerian health authorities on case investigation, contact tracing, infection prevention, and the supply of protective equipment for frontline health workers.

The global health body also called on regional countries to strengthen disease surveillance systems, ensure laboratories are equipped to safely process suspected samples, and keep rapid response teams on standby.

The WHO advised against placing any travel or trade restrictions on affected countries and said its risk assessment for the outbreak is being updated regularly as new information becomes available.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention also issued a separate public update listing key symptoms of Ebola and urging Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with body fluids.

Source: YEN.com.gh