By Samuel Olusegun Precious
The Ugandan woman diagnosed as Nigeria’s index case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus has been evacuated from the country early this morning, Exceed FM has learnt.
Sources at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja said the patient was flown out at about 6am through the Private Jet Wing. According to the source, the patient who is said to be the wife of a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria, was moved from Abuja city centre in a three-vehicle convoy made up of an ambulance, diplomatic vehicles and an international agency vehicle.
She was taken through the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) and into the Private Jet section where a medivac aircraft was already on ground waiting. Airport officials were said to have cordoned off the private wing during the evacuation.
The aircraft was said to have departed at 6am.As of press time, neither the NCDC nor the Federal Ministry of Health has officially confirmed the evacuation. The Swiss Embassy in Abuja has also not issued any statement.
Recall that NCDC on October 20 confirmed the case – a 42-year-old woman who returned from Uganda via Addis Ababa on October 3 and tested positive after admission in a private hospital in Abuja.NCDC DG, Dr. Jide Idris, on Sunday said 53 primary contacts have been traced and two additional suspected cases identified. He said none of the contacts has shown symptoms.
