By Beatrice Gondyi
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced the detection of two additional suspected cases of Ebola virus disease, even as the agency races to contain the fallout from the country’s first confirmed infection in over a decade.
Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, saying the two suspected cases had been isolated and laboratory testing was ongoing. He, however, did not immediately disclose the locations where the cases were identified or the health status of the individuals involved.
“Our teams are working round the clock to establish the extent of exposure and ensure that anyone who may have had contact with these suspected cases is promptly identified and monitored,” Idris said.
The announcement comes amid heightened surveillance following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026. The index patient, a 42-year-old woman who returned from Uganda through Addis Ababa, tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus and was treated at a private facility in Abuja before being evacuated to Switzerland last week.
Idris revealed that 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case are currently under follow-up, including healthcare workers, household members, and laboratory personnel who collected samples from the patient. The contacts are being monitored for 21 days from their last possible exposure.
The NCDC boss also confirmed that a suspected Ebola case reported in Rivers State on October 23 had tested negative, offering some relief to health authorities.
He urged Nigerians to remain calm and adhere to preventive measures, including regular hand hygiene and avoiding contact with the bodily fluids of persons showing symptoms of illness. “Anyone experiencing fever with a history of travel or contact with a suspected case should call our toll-free line on 6232 before visiting a health facility,” he advised.
Public and private healthcare facilities across the country have been directed to strengthen screening and triage procedures and ensure healthcare workers have adequate personal protective equipment.
The NCDC said it had activated its Incident Management System at the highest level, with the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital assessed and prepared as an isolation and treatment centre.
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