Benin Republic, Nigeria’s eastern neighbour, has reported its first suspected case of Ebola.

The suspected victim is however said to be a Nigerian and is now receiving treatment in a hospital in Cotonou, the seat of government.

The Beninoise health minister, Dorothée Gazard, an associate professor of parasitology and mycology, said on state television on Thursday that a sample of the victim’s blood has been sent to Senegal for testing.

The case is unconfirmed but Gazard’s announcement triggered widespread fears in the capital city of Cotonou, with many people saying they would stock up on food and stop eating at popular roadside food stalls to avoid possible infection.

Meanwhile, a New York resident who had travelled to the region and fell sick upon return to the city has tested negative for the virus.

The united States Centres for Disease Control and Protection said that the patient who was kept in isolation since Monday is not infected with the deadly disease.

The man, according to the statement, “is in stable condition, is improving, and remains in the care of our physicians and nurses.”

The male patient was hospitalised at the Manhattan hospital’s emergency room early Monday morning with high fever and gastrointestinal problems.

He had recently returned from a West African country where Ebola has been reported.

Over 900 people have died in West Africa since the outbreak of the virus in March, according to World Health Organisation, WHO, estimates.