The Federal Government has confirmed one case of Ebola disease in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and identified 44 close contacts as authorities begin contact tracing to prevent further spread.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case.
“A woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” the statement noted.
The female patient is currently in isolation and receiving medical treatment.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are collaborating with other relevant agencies to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.
The government said public health teams had commenced contact tracing for the 44 identified individuals and were working to identify and monitor others who may have been exposed to the infection, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
It added that surveillance had been intensified, while the hospital where the patient received treatment was being given immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The government urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant, directing health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, adhere strictly to infection prevention and control protocols, and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
