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 on Tuesday at a press conference in Abuja, saying laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who recently returned from Uganda in East Africa.
Pate said the patient developed symptoms on October 7 and visited a private health facility on October 11, where she received medical attention before further testing confirmed the infection.
According to the minister, the woman has been isolated and is receiving treatment, while relevant health agencies have activated emergency response measures to contain the case.
“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 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 were collaborating to prevent further spread.
The minister said 44 contacts had so far been identified for monitoring, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who might have come into contact with the patient during her journey.
He added that contact tracing was ongoing to identify other people who might have been exposed to the virus.
“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.
Pate disclosed that the private hospital where the patient was initially treated was receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
He urged public and private health facilities across the country to remain vigilant, stressing that early detection, prompt isolation and immediate reporting of suspected cases were critical to preventing further transmission.
The minister directed healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion and adhere strictly to infection prevention and control protocols.
He also appealed to Nigerians to remain calm while observing necessary precautions, assuring them that the country had the experience and public health capacity to respond to the situation.
Recalling Nigeria’s successful containment of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Pate said the country had drawn valuable lessons from its previous response, including investments in emergency operations centres and the training of health professionals.
“Nigeria rapidly mobilised and effectively controlled that outbreak,” he said, adding that the government was relying on the country’s public health experience and collaboration with international partners to manage the current situation.
Explaining how the virus spreads, Pate said Ebola could be transmitted through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person who was sick or had died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated materials.
He advised Nigerians to maintain good hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having the infection.
The minister listed possible symptoms to include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, urging people who develop such symptoms after a possible exposure to seek prompt medical attention and follow public health advice.
However, he warned against panic, discrimination or stigmatisation of people who might have been exposed to the virus.
“We advise everyone to remain calm, but vigilant. There is no need for panic,” he said.
Pate urged anyone contacted by public health officials during the tracing exercise to cooperate fully and provide the information required to support the response.
He also cautioned against spreading unverified reports on social media, urging Nigerians to rely on official 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 opted to announce the case promptly to encourage public cooperation and support containment efforts.
The minister said the incident management system had been activated, with relevant agencies coordinating surveillance, contact tracing and other emergency response activities.
He further disclosed that a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease had been constituted in May 2026 as part of preparations to strengthen the country’s readiness to respond to the threat.
Pate said President Bola Tinubu was aware of the development and had issued directives on the government’s response.
He assured Nigerians that the government would continue to provide timely updates as the situation developed, while health authorities focused on monitoring identified contacts and preventing wider transmission.
The minister also advised members of the public to seek official information or report suspected cases through the NCDC’s toll-free call centre, which he said was available round the clock on 6232.
He stressed that containing the infection would depend on early detection, prompt reporting, cooperation with public health teams and adherence to verified medical advice.
The government said its immediate priorities were to trace all possible contacts, strengthen infection prevention measures and prevent the imported case from resulting in further transmission.