…. Infected Woman Arrives From Uganda, Receives Treatment At Private Hospital Before Confirmation
…Health Authorities Intensify Surveillance, Place Contacts Under Monitoring To Prevent Further Spread
Toyyibat Qasim
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and identified 44 contacts as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. 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, 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 disease was confirmed.
Pate said the woman had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care, while public health officials had commenced contact tracing to identify and monitor individuals who might have been exposed to the virus.
The 44 identified contacts are being monitored as authorities work to establish whether other people, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and fellow travellers, may have come into contact with the infected woman.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are coordinating the response alongside other relevant agencies.
As part of the containment measures, surveillance has been intensified, while the private hospital where the patient received treatment is receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control procedures.
The government has also directed public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected cases.
Healthcare workers have been advised to maintain a high index of suspicion, identify and isolate suspected patients without delay, adhere strictly to infection prevention protocols and notify public health authorities immediately when they encounter possible cases.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, stressing the importance of personal hygiene and avoiding direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease.
He listed fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea among the symptoms people should watch out for, particularly those who might have been exposed to an infected person.
The minister advised anyone who develops symptoms consistent with Ebola to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
He also appealed to individuals contacted by disease surveillance teams, including airline passengers who might have been exposed, to provide accurate information and comply with official instructions.
The confirmation comes against the backdrop of concerns about the spread of Ebola in parts of Africa. The NCDC had, in an advisory issued on October 6, raised concerns about the risk of importing the infection following a reported case in Kenya linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
According to the World Health Organisation, Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.
The virus is not transmitted by infected individuals before symptoms develop, while the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria has previously confronted an Ebola outbreak, notably in 2014, when the virus was introduced into the country by an infected traveller. The outbreak was contained through rapid case identification, isolation, contact tracing and coordinated public health interventions.
Reassuring Nigerians, Pate said the country had the experience and public health structures required to respond to the latest case.
He, however, emphasised that public cooperation would be crucial to preventing further transmission and ensuring the effectiveness of the ongoing containment measures.
Investigations into the confirmed case are continuing, while the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC are expected to provide further updates as the situation develops.
Members of the public who require information or wish 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.
ENDS
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