Nigeria confirms an Ebola case in Abuja as authorities trace 44 contacts amid a worsening outbreak across Africa
ABUJA: Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case in a decade after a woman who recently arrived from Uganda tested positive for the deadly virus.
The Nigerian Ministry of Health confirmed the infection on October 20, 2026, prompting an emergency public health response.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identified the infection as Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, linked to an outbreak that began in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in May.
Patient Isolated, 44 Contacts Identified
According to health officials, the woman arrived in Nigeria on October 3 and developed symptoms on October 7.
She sought medical attention at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11. Laboratory tests confirmed Ebola on October 20.
Authorities have isolated the patient, who is receiving medical treatment.
Health teams have identified 44 contacts, including healthcare workers and other potentially exposed individuals.
Officials are monitoring these contacts and investigating the source of infection.
Ebola Outbreak Raises Regional Concerns
The WHO says Nigeria is the fifth country to detect the Bundibugyo virus since the current outbreak began in the DRC.
Kenya has also reported cases linked to the regional outbreak.
Ugandan authorities maintain that the country has no active Ebola cases. Investigators have not established where the Nigerian patient became infected.
Nigeria Strengthens Health Surveillance
Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said authorities are working to contain the infection through contact tracing and coordinated surveillance.
Nigeria’s health agencies are collaborating with the WHO and Africa CDC to strengthen monitoring and prevent further transmission.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, not through ordinary airborne transmission.
Impact to Expect
The confirmed case could trigger tighter health screening and surveillance, particularly at airports and healthcare facilities.
Early detection and contact tracing will remain essential to preventing wider transmission.
