A potential public health emergency is unfolding in the nation’s capital as a 32-year-old Nigerian man with symptoms of a deadly viral hemorrhagic fever has been isolated at Nisa Premier Hospital, prompting a swift activation of emergency response protocols.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Public Health Department confirmed the case in an urgent internal report issued by the State Epidemiologist at 2:00 PM today, Friday.
The patient, identified only as O.I., is an estate developer who recently returned to Nigeria from tourism in Rwanda. He presented at the hospital with severe symptoms, including a high fever that persisted for ten days and did not respond to treatment, bleeding from the nose (epistaxis), vomiting of blood (hematemesis), and bloody stool (melaena).
According to the official report, the man’s onset of symptoms began while he was still in Rwanda, where he had multiple hospital visits over the past three weeks and was administered several antibiotics without success.
The report states that a physician in Rwanda had previously advised the patient to be tested for Lassa fever, a highly contagious viral illness endemic to parts of West Africa, including Nigeria.
The State Epidemiologist’s report detailed that the patient “returned to Nigeria today via Rwanda Air and presented immediately to Nisa Premier Hospital.”
Upon his arrival, preliminary investigations revealed an elevated white blood cell count. The hospital management, following strict protocols, immediately notified the relevant authorities.
In response, the Area Council Rapid Response Team (RRT) has been activated to lead the case investigation and ensure the safe transport of samples to a designated public health laboratory for confirmatory testing. The specific pathogen, whether Ebola, Marburg, Dengue, Lassa, or another virus, has not yet been identified.
The hospital has been instructed to implement strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to contain any potential spread within the facility.
This incident has triggered high alert within Nigeria’s public health community, which is still mindful of past battles with diseases like Lassa fever and the devastating 2014 Ebola outbreak that was successfully contained. Nigeria’s rapid response system, praised during the Ebola crisis, is now being tested again.
The public is advised to remain vigilant and practice good hygiene, including frequent handwashing with soap and water. Anyone who experiences a sudden high fever and unexplained bleeding should seek medical attention immediately and disclose their travel history to health workers.
