No, Nigeria is not shutting down. Despite a fresh confirmed Ebola case, the Federal Government says there’s no need to panic or cancel your conference just yet.

The FG has ruled out an immediate ban on large gatherings. Why? According to Coordinating Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, there is currently zero evidence of community transmission.

It’s about one woman. She arrived in Nigeria showing no symptoms, fell ill days later, and is now in isolation. The good news? Her doctors say she’s improving, with lab results looking encouraging.

But the job isn’t done. Health officials have tracked down 44 contacts, people she may have met in hospitals, at home and other locations, and they are all being monitored.

Pate was blunt at his briefing in Abuja on Thursday: “The alternative to trusting the experts is a tragedy.” He revealed the patient has tested positive three times, warning that fake news claiming the case is fabricated could make people ignore quarantine rules and cost lives.

Why this matters and some context:

This brings back memories of 2014, when Nigeria famously contained Ebola after the Patrick Sawyer case. That experience is why vigilance is so high now.

The government is playing it smart, not hard. Instead of a blanket ban, it’s:

Cutting down on foreign delegations, especially from affected countries

Ramping up border surveillance and contact tracing

Pushing public sensitisation

There’s a gap though. Pate told the National Economic Council that only 21 states have updated their preparedness plans. 15 states are yet to do so.

There’s also politics and confusion in the mix. Investigators are still piecing together where the patient contracted the virus – WHO says her travel info covers Uganda, while Ugandan authorities say she also visited eastern DR Congo.

And on funding, the APC Presidential Campaign Council says the N10 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu in June for the Ebola emergency remains untouched, with agencies using other resources for now.

FG says decisions on gatherings will be led by science, not fear. For now, Pate says: “At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings.” That could change if new evidence emerges.

What you should do: Trust credible sources, ignore rumours, and if you feel unwell, report early. As Pate put it, “Health has no political party, has no tribe, no religion.”

We’ll keep you updated on cbinews.tv as officials release more facts.

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