Nigeria’s health authorities have identified 53 people who may have been exposed to the country’s confirmed Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory, as public health officials intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Jide Idris, disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja, providing an update on the national response.
According to Idris, 44 of the identified contacts are linked to the health facility where the patient received treatment, while nine others include household members, the patient’s driver and chef, her husband, healthcare workers from Julius Berger Clinic and personnel involved in collecting samples.
The NCDC says all identified contacts have been categorised according to their exposure levels, with monitoring and contact-tracing activities ongoing.
As of the briefing, none of the 53 contacts had tested positive for Ebola or developed symptoms. The patient’s husband also tested negative, according to the agency.
Health authorities say all identified contacts will be monitored for 21 days after their last possible exposure, consistent with the virus’s incubation period.
The NCDC has clarified that being identified as a contact does not mean a person has contracted Ebola. The process is designed to detect potential infections early and prevent further spread.
Meanwhile, the agency is strengthening the country’s preparedness through expanded laboratory capacity, improved infection prevention measures and additional training for healthcare workers.
Idris disclosed that about 12 laboratories had been identified as capable of testing for Ebola, while efforts were underway to ensure the availability of essential reagents and other supplies.
Healthcare workers are also receiving support on the proper use of personal protective equipment, hand hygiene and the safe handling of potentially infectious materials.
The NCDC is working with state health authorities and partners to strengthen preparedness in areas considered at higher risk and coordinate the national response.
Nigeria confirmed the imported Ebola case in Abuja on October 20, 2026. The patient is a 42-year-old Ugandan-born woman residing in the FCT who reportedly returned from Kampala, Uganda, earlier in October.
Authorities have also reported genomic similarities between the virus detected in Nigeria and that associated with an imported case in Kenya. However, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, stressed that the findings do not establish that the Nigerian patient was infected in Kenya.
The NCDC is urging Nigerians to cooperate with public health officials, report relevant symptoms and rely on verified information rather than rumours.
For now, authorities say contact tracing, laboratory testing and surveillance remain central to containing the outbreak and protecting public health.
