Nigerian authorities in the capital Abuja announced the recording of the first confirmed Ebola virus infection, a move that prompted officials to urgently call on the international community to take immediate and necessary action to control this epidemic and limit its wide geographical spread.
Agence France-Presse reported on Wednesday that Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Ali Batti stated in an official statement that the infected person was on a flight arriving from Uganda. She is currently in isolation and receiving necessary medical care, while the Ugandan Ministry of Health confirmed there are no active or confirmed local infections.
Warnings of a historic outbreak
In this context, Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak has become the most geographically widespread in history, affecting several countries in three regions of Africa, necessitating a call for the international community to send funds, medical supplies, and health sector workers.
Record figures in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Since the virus was declared present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last May, it has become the deadliest in the republic within a few months, claiming the lives of 4,381 people out of more than 9,000 confirmed cases, according to local health authorities.
Resource shortages hinder efforts
The World Health Organization announced on the 8th of the current month that shortages of trained staff, implementing partners, and funding are hindering efforts to scale up Ebola control in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the disease continues to spread despite efforts to contain it.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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