Nigeria's Health Minister Confirms No Need to Cancel Gatherings

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, stated on Thursday in Abuja that there is no immediate need to cancel political campaigns or public gatherings following the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Prof. Pate assured the public that the confirmed patient is receiving treatment and showing signs of recovery.

The patient was asymptomatic upon arrival but developed symptoms later, leading to immediate contact tracing. High-risk contacts have been quarantined, while others are isolated.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated its incident management system and is coordinating with the Federal Capital Territory Administration. President Bola Tinubu has allocated additional funds to the NCDC, and Nigeria is collaborating with the World Health Organisation and Africa CDC to manage the outbreak.

Prof. Pate emphasized the importance of public health measures and urged vigilance among Nigerians.