The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with 44 contacts identified and placed under monitoring as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, saying laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently travelled to Uganda.
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Pate said the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and sought treatment at a private health facility on October 11 before subsequent investigations confirmed the infection. He added that she had been isolated and was receiving treatment, with her condition remaining stable.
According to the minister, contact tracing has commenced, with 44 people identified so far, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel-related contacts who may have interacted with the infected woman.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Secretariat, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) are working together to contain the case.
Pate added that efforts were ongoing to identify additional contacts, while health officials were supporting the private hospital where the patient initially received treatment to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
He directed public and private health facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, stressing that early detection, immediate isolation and prompt reporting of suspected cases were critical to preventing further transmission.
The minister urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, strictly observe infection prevention and control protocols, and immediately report suspected cases to the relevant public health authorities.
He appealed to Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, assuring them that the country had the expertise, experience and institutional capacity to manage the situation.
Pate recalled Nigeria’s containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which began after an infected traveller arrived in Lagos. He attributed the response’s success to investments in public health systems, emergency operations centres and the training of health professionals, including personnel whose experience was developed through the country’s polio eradication programme.
He said the current response was drawing on lessons from the previous outbreak, alongside support from international health partners.
Explaining how the virus spreads, Pate said Ebola is transmitted 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 contaminated materials.
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He advised Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid contact with the body fluids of suspected cases and watch for symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly after travel or possible exposure.
The minister cautioned against panic, discrimination and stigmatisation of people who might have been exposed to the virus. He also urged passengers who may have travelled with the patient and others contacted during the tracing exercise to cooperate with health officials, provide accurate information and follow medical guidance.
Pate warned against spreading rumours and unverified information on social media, advising the public to rely on official updates from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, WHO and Africa CDC.
He said the government disclosed the case promptly to encourage public cooperation and strengthen efforts to prevent further transmission.
The minister further announced that the national incident management system had been activated, with relevant agencies coordinating surveillance, contact tracing and other emergency response activities.
He also disclosed that a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease was established in May 2026, describing the move as part of the administration’s preparations for a potential outbreak. According to him, President Bola Tinubu had been fully briefed and had issued directives to support the response.
Pate assured Nigerians that the government would continue to provide timely and accurate updates as investigations progressed.
He urged members of the public to report suspected cases or obtain verified information through the NCDC’s 24-hour toll-free call centre on 6232.
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The minister stressed that preventing further transmission would depend on early detection, prompt reporting, cooperation with public health authorities and strict adherence to verified medical advice.
The Federal Government said its immediate priorities were to trace all possible contacts, reinforce infection prevention measures and prevent the imported case from leading to community transmission.
