Cote d'Ivoire declares first case of Ebola virus since 1994

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is immensely concerned after Cote d'Ivoire declared its first case of the Ebola hemorrhagic virus in 27 years, in the capital Abidjan.

Health workers at the centre for treating epidemics in Nzérékoré in Guinea © RFI/Carol Valade

Officials at the Institut Pasteur had confirmed the case after testing samples taken from an 18-year-old Guinean woman, Health Minister Pierre N'Gou Demba said on RTI state television on Saturday.

She had left the city of Labe in Guinea by road, arriving in Cote d'Ivoire on Wednesday, he added.

"This is an isolated and imported case," he said, adding that the patient was currently being treated in intensive care in Abidjan.

Cote d'Ivoire already had doses of the vaccine against Ebola, he said. People at high risk including heatlh workers who have been in contact with her and security forces on the borders will be vaccinated first.

The last confirmed case of Ebola in Cote d'Ivoire was in 1994 when an outbreak among chimpanzees infected a scientist.

• Guinea rolls out Ebola vaccines, hoping to bring outbreak under control

• As struggle against Covid continues, DR Congo announces end of Ebola outbreak

'Immense concern'

“It is of immense concern that this outbreak has been declared in Abidjan, a metropolis of more than 4 million people,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa, in a statement.

"Much of the world’s expertise in tackling Ebola is here on the continent and Cote d’Ivoire can tap into this experience and bring the response to full speed," she added. 

Concerned by the new #Ebola case confirmed today in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. @WHO staff in 🇨🇮 are helping the Ministry investigate the case. In addition, a team of WHO experts will arrive shortly to support all key areas of the response incl contact tracing & treatment. https://t.co/JtrCSAhPjt

— Dr Matshidiso Moeti (@MoetiTshidi) August 14, 2021

• Breakthrough trial shows Ebola is now curable

The WHO confirmed it was sending 5,000 anti-ebola vaccines.

Cote d'Ivoire borders Guinea and Liberia, which were both hard hit by the West Africa Ebola outbreak between 2014 and 2016.

This year Ebola outbreaks broke out in DRC and Guinea.

Guinea's outbreak was declared over on 19 June 2021.

The WHO said there was no indication that the current case in Cote d’Ivoire is linked to the earlier outbreak in Guinea.