RismadarVoice Reporters
October 20, 2026
The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and commenced contact tracing involving 44 people who may have been exposed to the infection.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday, October 20, following laboratory confirmation of the infection.
According to a statement attributed to the ministry’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria from Uganda aboard an international flight.
The woman was reportedly admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received medical attention for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
Health authorities said the patient had been isolated and was receiving appropriate medical care.
Pate disclosed 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 coordinating the emergency response.
Public health officials have reportedly identified 44 people for contact tracing, including healthcare workers, caregivers, patients and individuals who may have encountered the woman during her journey.
The exercise is intended to identify possible exposures, monitor affected individuals and prevent further transmission.
The minister said surveillance measures had been strengthened, while infection prevention and control support was being provided to the hospital involved.
He urged people contacted by public health officials to cooperate fully with the investigation and comply with monitoring instructions.
Healthcare facilities across the country were also advised to maintain heightened vigilance, promptly isolate suspected cases and report them to the appropriate public health authorities.
Ebola is a serious viral disease that spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or with contaminated materials.
Symptoms may include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Health authorities advised anyone who believes they may have been exposed to seek immediate guidance, even if symptoms have not developed.
People experiencing symptoms after possible exposure were encouraged to contact health officials before visiting a healthcare facility to minimise the risk of transmission.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and refrain from stigmatising people who may have been exposed.
The latest development comes amid ongoing Ebola outbreaks in parts of Central and East Africa, which have prompted increased disease surveillance and emergency preparedness across the region.
The NCDC’s toll-free emergency line, 6232, is available for enquiries and reporting suspected cases.
Authorities have not announced evidence of wider transmission within Nigeria, while contact tracing and investigations remain ongoing.
