The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), involving a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.
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The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case.
According to the statement, the patient was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
Pate said contact tracing had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far, while public health teams were working to identify and monitor other potentially exposed persons, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
He said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities were working together to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.
The minister added that surveillance had been intensified, while the hospital where the patient received treatment was receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Pate urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, advising healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities.
Explaining how the virus spreads, the minister said Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease, as well as through contact with contaminated materials.
He stressed that an infected person cannot transmit the disease before symptoms begin.
Pate advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola, and watch for symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly following possible exposure.
He also urged anyone who might have been exposed to the virus to report immediately, even if they feel well. Those who develop symptoms were advised to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
The minister called on members of the public to cooperate with contact-tracing teams, including airline passengers who may be contacted as part of the investigation, and cautioned against spreading unverified information or stigmatising persons who may have been exposed.
Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 and said the country has the experience and public health systems required to respond to the latest case.
He, however, emphasised that preventing further transmission would depend on early detection, prompt reporting and cooperation from the public.
The minister said the Federal Government, FCT authorities and other partners would continue to provide updates through the Presidential Taskforce on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC.
Nigerians seeking information or wishing to report suspected cases were advised to contact the NCDC through its toll-free number, 6232, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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