The Federal Government has confirmed an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, following laboratory confirmation on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and has activated emergency measures to prevent further spread of the disease.
The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the infection was confirmed. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement, adding that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant agencies were working together to contain the outbreak.
According to the statement, contact tracing has commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far. Those identified include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts who may have been exposed to the virus.
The government said surveillance had been intensified, while the hospital where the patient received treatment was being supported to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
It also directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant and urged healthcare workers to promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, adhere strictly to infection prevention protocols and report suspected infections to the appropriate public health authorities.
The statement explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated materials.
It emphasised that an infected person cannot transmit the virus before symptoms appear.
Nigerians were advised to remain calm and vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
The government also urged the public to watch for symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly after possible exposure to the virus.
Anyone who suspects exposure was advised to notify public health authorities immediately, even if symptoms have not developed. Those who develop symptoms were urged to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities by telephone for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
Passengers and other individuals identified during the contact-tracing exercise were also urged to cooperate with public health teams, provide relevant information and comply with official instructions.
The government cautioned against spreading rumours or stigmatising affected persons, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Reassuring the public, the Federal Government recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, noting that the country had relevant experience and public health systems to respond to the current case.
However, it stressed that preventing further transmission would depend on early detection, prompt reporting and public cooperation.
The government added that investigations were ongoing and pledged to provide accurate and timely updates through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the NCDC.
Members of the public seeking information or wishing to report suspected cases can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
