Nigerian health authorities have identified and begun monitoring 53 contacts linked to the country’s only confirmed Ebola case, as efforts to contain the infection continue.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) Director-General, Jide Idris, said on Sunday, October 25, 2026, that the contacts include healthcare workers, domestic staff and the patient’s spouse. The confirmed case involves a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda to Abuja via Addis Ababa on October 3. She developed symptoms, including fever, diarrhea, body aches and a sore throat, on October 7.
She first sought treatment at a private health facility on October 10 and was admitted to another facility the following day. The NCDC was notified on October 19, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.
Mr Idris said the woman’s condition had improved significantly and she was receiving treatment in isolation in Abuja. Health officials are monitoring the identified contacts for 21 days after their last possible exposure. A suspected case reported in Rivers State on Friday, October 23, tested negative.
Authorities have also strengthened surveillance at entry points, assessed infection prevention measures in healthcare facilities and intensified public awareness campaigns. The Lagos State government has dismissed reports of a suspected Ebola case in the state, assuring residents of its preparedness to detect and respond to potential infections.
This Nigerian index case has been evacuated from the country early this Monday morning, through an air ambulance to a destination that has not been disclosed. The confirmed infection is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola virus that can cause severe illness.