The Federal Government has confirmed that there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the new Ebola virus variant found in Nigeria.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday night during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time.
He explained that the confirmed case in Abuja involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no licensed vaccine. However, medical experts are testing different vaccines and drugs to see if they can help patients.
“Specific treatments or vaccines for this variant of Ebola virus are not yet licensed or approved to be used.
“Regardless, there are various efforts to try different types of vaccines or molecules to see if they can bring relief.
“The particular patient in Abuja has received appropriate medical care, and we are fortunate she is stable at this moment, but anything can change at any moment,” he said.
Pate added that the patient is a woman who recently arrived from Uganda on an international flight. She developed symptoms on October 7, visited a private hospital on October 11 and later tested positive for Ebola. She is now in isolation in Abuja.
The minister said 44 contacts have been identified and are being monitored. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has also activated its incident management system.
He said the Federal Government is working with Ugandan authorities and other partners to stop the spread, urging Nigerians to stay calm and follow preventive measures.
The World Health Organization has also confirmed that no approved vaccine is available for the Bundibugyo strain, which is linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
