The Federal Government has confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in Abuja, with 44 contacts identified for monitoring as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, saying laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently travelled to Uganda.
Pate said the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention at a private health facility on October 11. She was subsequently tested and confirmed to have Ebola virus disease.
According to the minister, the woman has been isolated and is receiving medical care, with her condition currently stable.
“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,” Pate said.
He explained that contact tracing had commenced, with 44 people identified so far for monitoring. They include healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel-related contacts who may have been exposed to the infected woman.
Pate said public health teams were working to identify additional contacts and monitor those who might have been exposed, while 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 Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Secretariat, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are coordinating the response.
The minister urged public and private health facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, stressing that early detection, prompt isolation and immediate reporting of suspected cases would be critical to preventing further spread.
He directed healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, observe strict infection prevention and control procedures, and promptly report suspected infections to public health authorities.
Pate appealed to Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, assuring them that the country had the public health expertise and institutional experience needed to contain the infection.
He recalled Nigeria’s successful response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when authorities mobilised the country’s public health system after the virus was introduced into Lagos.
“Nigeria rapidly mobilised and effectively controlled that outbreak,” he said, attributing the country’s response capacity to investments in public health infrastructure, emergency operations centres and the training of health professionals, including expertise developed through the polio eradication programme.
He said the government was drawing on those experiences, alongside support from international partners, to contain the latest case.
Explaining how the virus spreads, Pate said Ebola is transmitted 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 Ebola.
The minister also advised the public to watch for symptoms including fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly following possible exposure to an infected person.
However, he cautioned against panic, discrimination and the stigmatisation of people who might have been exposed.
“We advise everyone to remain calm, but vigilant. There is no need for panic,” he said.
Pate 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 warned 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 announced the case promptly to mobilise public cooperation and prevent further transmission.
The minister 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, saying the early preparations reflected the administration’s concern about the threat and its commitment to ensuring response readiness.
Pate said President Bola Tinubu was fully aware of the situation and had issued directives on the government’s response.
He assured Nigerians that the government would continue to provide accurate and timely updates as investigations progressed.
The minister urged members of the public to report suspected cases or seek official information through the NCDC’s toll-free call centre, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 6232.
He stressed that containing the infection would require early detection, prompt reporting, cooperation with public health teams and strict adherence to verified medical advice.
The government said its immediate priority was to trace all possible contacts, strengthen infection prevention measures and prevent the imported case from developing into wider community transmission.
