The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified 53 contacts linked to the confirmed Ebola case recorded in the Federal Capital Territory in October 2026.

The contacts include healthcare workers, domestic staff and the spouse of the 42-year-old woman diagnosed with the disease, according to the agency’s latest Ebola Disease Situation Report dated October 24, 2026.

The NCDC also disclosed that Rivers State reported a new suspected Ebola case on October 23. However, laboratory tests returned negative, ruling out the disease in the suspected case.

Providing details of the confirmed case, the agency said the patient returned to Nigeria from Uganda through Addis Ababa on October 3, arriving in Abuja on an international flight.

She reportedly developed symptoms four days after her arrival and sought medical attention at a private health facility on October 10 before presenting at another facility the following day, where she was admitted.

According to the report, the NCDC received notification of the case on October 19, prompting an investigation and the collection of samples for laboratory testing. The agency’s National Reference Laboratory confirmed the infection on October 20.

The patient’s symptoms included fever, diarrhoea, generalised body aches and a sore throat, while no bleeding was reported.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government and relevant health authorities are taking coordinated measures to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Idris said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, FCT health authorities and development partners were working together to manage the situation.

He acknowledged public concerns over the confirmed case but maintained that the government had established response mechanisms and experienced personnel to address the public health threat.

“Ebola is a serious disease, and we are handling this situation with the urgency it deserves,” Idris said, adding that the response was guided by a clear plan designed to prevent further spread.

Contact Tracing and Public Cooperation

The NCDC chief explained that the response was being coordinated through an Incident Management System and an Emergency Operations Centre, under the national leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, and the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease.

He said public health teams were tracing people who might have been exposed to the confirmed case, assessing their level of exposure and monitoring their health for 21 days after their last possible exposure.

Those being assessed include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, household members, travel-related contacts and other individuals who may have had relevant contact with the patient.

Idris described contact tracing as a detailed process that requires accurate information, thorough investigation and consistent monitoring. He urged anyone contacted by public health officials to cooperate fully and provide truthful information about their movements, contacts and any symptoms experienced.

He stressed that being identified as a contact does not mean a person has contracted Ebola, explaining that the process is intended to monitor exposed individuals and ensure that possible infections are detected early.

According to him, public cooperation remains essential to identifying potential cases promptly and preventing further transmission.

NCDC Urges Hospitals to Strengthen Safety Measures

Idris commended healthcare workers whose vigilance and clinical judgement contributed to the detection of the confirmed case, noting that their high level of suspicion helped trigger the public health response.

He also acknowledged the contributions of professionals involved in surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory diagnosis, case management, infection prevention and control, community engagement and public risk communication.

The NCDC director-general assured healthcare workers that their safety, health and welfare would remain a priority throughout the response.

He called on managers of public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to immediately review and reinforce their infection prevention and control measures.

Idris said hospitals must consistently implement patient screening and triage procedures, particularly for individuals presenting symptoms compatible with Ebola and who have relevant exposure histories.

He further emphasised the need for strict adherence to standard precautions, including proper hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, injection safety, safe handling of sharp objects and appropriate waste disposal.

Healthcare facilities were also urged to ensure that adequate personal protective equipment was available and that workers were properly trained to use it.

The NCDC chief added that suspected cases must be promptly isolated from other patients and reported to the appropriate public health authorities.

He warned that healthcare workers should not delay taking protective measures while waiting for laboratory confirmation.

“Protecting healthcare workers is essential to protecting the communities they serve,” Idris said.