. Patient in stable condition
The Federal Government has called for calm following confirmation of an imported Ebola Virus Disease case in the Federal Capital Territory, assuring Nigerians that rapid containment measures have been activated.
One Case Confirmed, 44 Contacts Traced
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed at a briefing in Abuja yesterday that a woman who recently arrived from Uganda tested positive for Ebola.
According to him, the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and presented at a private hospital on October 11 before laboratory tests confirmed the infection. She has since been isolated and her condition is stable.
Pate said 44 close contacts have been identified and placed under monitoring. They include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel companions who had contact with the index case.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), FCT Health Services Secretariat, World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa CDC are jointly leading containment efforts.
Surveillance has been intensified across the FCT, while infection prevention and control measures have been strengthened at the private facility where the patient first sought care.
“Today, we are confirming that there has been one imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory,” Pate said.
Presidency Activated Response
The minister said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been fully briefed and has issued directives on the response. The Incident Management System has been activated alongside the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease constituted in May 2026 to boost national preparedness.
ALSO READ: Congo: Angry families set Ebola centres on fire to retrieve relatives’ corpses, set victims free
This marks Nigeria’s first Ebola case since 2014, when the country successfully contained an outbreak that started with an infected traveller from Liberia, recording 20 cases and eight deaths before WHO declared Nigeria Ebola-free.
Don’t Panic, Observe Hygiene
Prof. Pate urged Nigerians not to panic but to remain vigilant. He advised health facilities nationwide to maintain high alert, isolate suspected cases early and report immediately.
He urged the public to practice regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with blood or body fluids of suspected cases, and avoid misinformation and stigmatisation.
Symptoms to watch include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhea. He clarified that an infected person cannot transmit the virus before symptoms develop.
He advised anyone with suspected exposure to report to health authorities immediately, even if asymptomatic, and to call for guidance before visiting a health facility if symptoms develop.
The NCDC toll-free line 6232 is available 24/7 for inquiries and reports.
The case comes amid a regional outbreak in Central and East Africa, with the Democratic Republic of Congo at the epicentre of a Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak, while Kenya has also reported infections.
The government expressed confidence that Nigeria will contain the virus again, citing the successful 2014 response.
