The Federal Government has confirmed one case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, with 44 close contacts identified as authorities intensify efforts to prevent further spread of the infection.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She 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 Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities are working together to contain the infection.
Contact tracing has commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far. They include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who may have travelled with or otherwise come into contact with the patient. Public health teams are also working to identify and monitor additional individuals who may have been exposed.
Authorities have intensified disease surveillance and are providing support to the hospital where the woman received treatment to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The Federal Government has directed public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert. Healthcare workers have been urged to identify and isolate suspected cases promptly, observe strict infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
FG Advises Nigerians on Ebola Prevention
The government has urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular handwashing and avoid contact with the blood or other body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Symptoms to watch for include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the virus.
Anyone who suspects they may have been exposed is advised to contact public health authorities promptly. Individuals who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and seek guidance from health officials before visiting a healthcare facility.
The government has also appealed to people contacted during the tracing exercise, including potentially exposed airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and cooperate with public health authorities.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces. Infected individuals do not transmit the virus before symptoms develop, and the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through rapid identification and isolation of cases, contact tracing and coordinated public health measures.
Prof. Pate expressed confidence in Nigeria’s public health response systems but stressed that public cooperation remains essential to preventing further transmission. Investigations are ongoing, while the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC are expected to provide further updates.
Members of the public seeking information or wishing to report a suspected case can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.