By Paul Joseph
The Federal Government has confirmed an Ebola disease case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and commenced contact tracing involving 44 people identified as close contacts of the infected patient.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory tests that confirmed the infection.
According to Pate, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
He said she had been admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. The patient is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
The minister said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities were working together to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.
“Contact tracing has commenced with 44 close contacts identified presently,” Pate said.
He explained that public health officials were identifying and monitoring people who might have been exposed to the patient, including healthcare workers, other patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
Surveillance has also been intensified, while authorities are supporting the hospital where the patient was treated to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Following the confirmation, the government urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to increase vigilance and promptly report suspected cases to the relevant health authorities.
Pate advised healthcare workers to ensure early identification and isolation of suspected cases and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.
The minister explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is ill or has died from the disease, as well as through contaminated materials.
He stressed that infected individuals could not transmit the virus before symptoms appeared.
The government urged Nigerians to remain calm while observing preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Residents were also advised to watch for symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly following possible exposure to the virus.
Pate advised anyone who develops symptoms to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
He also urged people who might have been exposed to the virus to report to health authorities immediately, even if they felt well, and cooperate with officials conducting contact tracing.
Airline passengers who may be contacted by health authorities were advised to provide the necessary information and follow official public health guidance.
The minister cautioned against spreading rumours or stigmatising affected individuals, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, expressing confidence in the country’s public health systems and experience in responding to the disease.
“Nigeria successfully contained Ebola in 2014, and we have the experience and public health systems to respond to this case,” he said.
However, he stressed that preventing further transmission would require collective responsibility and cooperation from members of the public.
The minister said the Federal Government, FCT authorities and their partners were working to protect healthcare workers, patients and the wider population as investigations into the case continued.
He added that further updates would be provided through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC.
Members of the public seeking information or wishing to report a suspected case were advised to contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates round the clock.
The statement was signed by Pate on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
Leave a Reply