The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, with 44 contacts identified as health authorities move to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently travelled to Uganda.
Pate said the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and sought treatment at a private health facility on October 11. She has since been isolated and is receiving medical care.
“Today, we are confirming that there has been one imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory. A laboratory confirmation was received today,” the minister said.
“The patient is a woman who had travel history to Eastern Africa, to Uganda in particular. And came back, had symptoms that commenced on the 7th of October.”
He said the patient was stable, while contact tracing had commenced to identify and monitor people who might have been exposed to the virus.
The 44 contacts identified so far include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel-related contacts. Public health teams are continuing efforts to identify additional contacts and monitor those at risk.
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, the FCT health authorities, the World Health Organisation, WHO, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention were coordinating the response.
He added that the private hospital where the patient received treatment was receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
“The patient is stable, and we’re doing everything possible to ensure that we contain this through tracing all the contacts that this individual may have had,” he said.
The minister urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, promptly isolate suspected cases and immediately report them to the relevant public health authorities.
He also directed healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and strictly observe infection prevention and control procedures.
Pate appealed to Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, assuring them that the country had the expertise and institutional experience required to respond to the outbreak.
He cited Nigeria’s response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when the country contained the virus after it was introduced into Lagos, as evidence of its capacity to manage the current situation.
“Nigeria rapidly mobilised and effectively controlled that outbreak,” he said.
According to the minister, the government is drawing on lessons from that response, alongside support from international partners, to contain the imported case and prevent wider transmission.
He explained that Ebola spreads 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 contact with contaminated materials.
He urged Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having the infection.
Pate advised people to watch for symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly after possible exposure to an infected person.
He warned, however, against panic, discrimination and stigmatisation of people who might have been exposed to the virus.
“We advise everyone to remain calm, but vigilant. There is no need for panic,” he said.
The minister urged anyone contacted by public health teams during the tracing exercise, including people who might have travelled with the patient, to provide the requested information and comply with official health advice.
He also cautioned against spreading unverified information on social media, urging Nigerians to rely on updates from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, WHO and Africa CDC.
“Misinformation, rumours spread through social media, Nigerians should avoid that,” he said, explaining that the government had chosen to announce the case promptly to encourage public cooperation and prevent further transmission.
Pate disclosed that the incident management system had been activated, with relevant health agencies coordinating surveillance, contact tracing and other response measures.
He further revealed that a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease had been constituted in May 2026 as part of preparations to strengthen the country’s readiness to respond to the threat.
The minister said President Bola Tinubu was aware of the situation and had issued directives on the government’s response.
He assured Nigerians that the government would continue to provide timely updates as investigations progressed.
Pate urged members of the public to report suspected cases and seek official information through the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
He said the immediate priority was to identify all possible contacts, strengthen infection prevention measures and prevent the imported case from triggering wider community transmission.
