Nigeria Confirms Imported Ebola Case, Traces 44 Contacts
Nigeria has confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with 44 close contacts already identified and under monitoring. The case involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, the World Health Organization has confirmed.
What happened
The Federal Government confirmed the case at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation. According to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
Her symptoms began on October 7, four days after her arrival. She sought care at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11, where she was treated for several days before further tests confirmed the infection on October 20. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
44 contacts under surveillance
Public health teams have identified 44 contacts so far, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts, and contact tracing is underway. Surveillance has been intensified at entry points, and the private hospital where the patient was treated is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated its incident management system to coordinate the response. The Federal Ministry of Health is working with NCDC, the FCT Health Services Secretariat, the Africa CDC and the WHO to contain the infection.
WHO: fifth country since May
In a press release, the WHO said Nigeria is the fifth country to detect the Bundibugyo virus since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15, 2026. The Africa CDC has called for urgent international support to contain the outbreak spreading across parts of Africa.
Unlike the more common Zaire strain, the Bundibugyo variant currently has no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment, making rapid containment critical.
Public advised to stay alert
Prof. Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm and vigilant, practise good hygiene including regular handwashing, avoid contact with blood and body fluids of suspected cases, and cooperate with public health officials. He noted that infected persons cannot transmit Ebola before symptoms develop.
Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly in anyone who may have been exposed. The government has directed all public and private health facilities nationwide to remain on high alert and immediately report suspected cases.
Nigeria’s authorities say they are drawing on the country’s experience from the 2014 Ebola outbreak to manage the current situation.
(Sources: WHO press release, Punch Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Health Nigeria)
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