The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two suspected Ebola cases and listed 53 primary contacts for monitoring as health authorities intensify surveillance following the country’s first confirmed infection.
The NCDC Director-General, Jide Idris, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, saying the contacts included healthcare workers, members of the confirmed patient’s household and people who interacted with her during treatment and sample collection.
Idris said the 53 contacts had been documented and classified according to their levels of exposure, while public health officials continued to monitor them for symptoms of the disease.
He added that none of the identified contacts had tested positive for Ebola or developed symptoms as of the time of the briefing.
The NCDC chief also said the agency had investigated two cases, including the confirmed infection in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a suspected case in Rivers State, which subsequently tested negative.
Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20, 2026, after a woman who had travelled to the country was diagnosed at a private hospital in Abuja.
According to the NCDC, the patient tested positive in three samples, while a sample collected from her husband returned a negative result.
The ongoing contact tracing exercise is aimed at identifying people who may have been exposed to the virus, monitoring their health and preventing further transmission.
Health authorities are continuing surveillance and response efforts as part of measures to contain the outbreak and protect public health.
