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The federal government has confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), triggering an emergency public health response to contain the infection and prevent further spread.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, revealed this in a statement on Tuesday 20 October 2026, following the laboratory confirmation of the case.
According to the statement, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
She was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she was treated for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
The woman is currently in isolation and receiving medical treatment.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities are coordinating efforts to contain the outbreak.
The government said contact tracing has begun, with 44 close contacts identified so far. Public health teams are working to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed, including healthcare workers, patients, healthcare workers and travel contacts.
Surveillance has also been intensified, while the hospital where the patient received treatment is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The federal government urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, directing healthcare workers to promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, maintain stringent infection prevention measures, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
How Ebola spreads
The government explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is ill or has died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated materials.
He stressed that an infected person cannot transmit the virus before symptoms appear.
Nigerians have been advised to maintain regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola, and watch out for symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhea, particularly after possible exposure.
Anyone who suspects they may have been exposed has been urged to report it immediately, even if they feel well.
Those who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
The government also urged people contacted during the ongoing tracing exercise, including passengers of affected airlines, to provide the necessary information and comply with public health instructions.
Citizens have been warned against spreading unverified information or stigmatizing people who may have been exposed to the disease.
FG assures Nigerians of containment efforts
Pate said Nigeria has the experience and public health capacity to respond to the case, citing the country’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014.
However, he stressed that preventing further transmission would require cooperation from the public, health workers and other stakeholders.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government, FCT authorities and their partners are working together to protect healthcare workers, patients and the general public.
The investigation is ongoing, with the government promising further updates through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the NCDC.
Citizens can obtain information or report suspected cases via the NCDC’s toll-free number, 6232, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
