No approved vaccine for new Ebola variant yet – Health Minister Ali Pate warns
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate has said there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the new variant of Ebola Virus Disease currently in Nigeria.
Pate disclosed this on Wednesday night while speaking on Arise Television's Prime Time.
He, however, said that regardless, doctors are trying different vaccines and drugs to see if they could help.
According to him, the Ebola case confirmed in Abuja is the Bundibugyo strain which has no licensed vaccine.
"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.
He added that the Federal Government confirmed a case in a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda and is now in isolation in Abuja.
He said the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and sought care at a private hospital on October 11 before testing positive for Ebola.
The minister said 44 contacts have been identified and are being monitored, while the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has activated its incident management system.
He said the Federal Government is working with Ugandan authorities and other partners to contain spread and urged Nigerians to remain calm but observe preventive measures.
The World Health Organization, WHO, has also confirmed that there is no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain, which is linked to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
No approved vaccine for new Ebola variant yet – Health Minister Ali Pate warns