Apprehension as Nigeria Records First Ebola Case in Abuja

By Adedapo Adesanya

Apprehension has heightened following the confirmation of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, with health authorities identifying 44 close contacts and commencing efforts to prevent further transmission.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the infection.

According to the Minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital in the nation’s capital, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.

The woman is currently in isolation and receiving medical care, while public health teams have begun tracing people who may have been exposed to the virus.

The 44 identified contacts include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts. Authorities are also working to identify and monitor additional people who may have come into contact with the patient.

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 are coordinating the response to contain the infection.

As part of containment measures, surveillance has been intensified, while the private hospital where the patient was treated is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control procedures.

The federal government has also directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, urging health workers to promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, maintain strict infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.

Minister Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.

He identified fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea as symptoms to watch for, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the infection.

The minister advised anyone who develops symptoms to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.

The government also called on individuals contacted during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and comply with official public health guidance.

The development follows earlier concerns raised by the NCDC over the risk of importing Ebola into Nigeria amid an evolving regional outbreak.

In an advisory issued on October 6, the agency heightened surveillance after Kenya confirmed an imported case linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.

Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the virus into the country. The response involved rapid case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health interventions.

Reassuring Nigerians of the country’s capacity to respond, Minister Pate said Nigeria had the experience and public health systems required to manage the current case, while stressing that public cooperation would be critical to preventing further transmission.

The federal government said investigations were ongoing and that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease, alongside the NCDC, would continue to provide updates.

Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, available 24 hours a day, for information or to report a suspected case.