The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two suspected cases of Ebola disease in the North-East region as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent a possible outbreak.
The agency disclosed that both individuals had been isolated while medical teams commenced contact tracing and laboratory investigations to establish their health status.
Samples from the suspected patients are undergoing laboratory tests to determine whether they have contracted the virus.
Health officials are also identifying and documenting people who may have had contact with the individuals as part of measures to contain any potential spread.
However, the NCDC cautioned that being classified as a suspected case does not mean an individual has tested positive for Ebola, stressing that only laboratory results can confirm an infection.
The development comes days after Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case on October 20, following the diagnosis of a 42-year-old Swiss woman in Abuja.
The woman, who reportedly arrived in Nigeria from Uganda, was isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers after testing positive for the disease.
The Federal Government subsequently evacuated her to Switzerland on Monday aboard a medical aircraft. Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated.
The latest suspected cases have renewed attention on disease surveillance and containment measures as health authorities work to establish whether the individuals are infected.
The NCDC has yet to confirm the two suspected cases as positive infections, pending the outcome of laboratory investigations.
