BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that monitoring of 62 contacts linked to the country’s confirmed imported Ebola case is expected to end on November 13, 2026.

The agency made this known in its latest Ebola Disease Situation Report obtained by Channels Television on Monday, stating that the contacts would complete their mandatory follow-up at different dates between October 31 and November 13.

Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola disease in the current outbreak on October 20, after laboratory tests detected the Bundibugyo virus in a woman who had travelled from Uganda. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the patient developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.

The NCDC said contact tracing and monitoring were ongoing, with additional contact tracers mapped and trained to strengthen surveillance. It also disclosed plans to assess additional contacts for possible evacuation to quarantine facilities and continue monitoring those already in quarantine.

On laboratory investigations, the agency reported that 18 samples had been tested since the outbreak was confirmed, with one positive result from the index case and 17 negative results, comprising 15 samples from the patient’s contacts and two from suspected cases. It added that genomic sequencing had been completed in collaboration with the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID).

The agency further said it had activated the National Incident Management System under the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, while finalising its Incident Action Plan and strengthening coordination with relevant stakeholders and partner agencies.

As part of efforts to improve preparedness, the NCDC said it was expanding laboratory testing capacity, reviewing case definitions and contact-tracing guidelines, and strengthening infection prevention and control measures across health facilities. It also disclosed that the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital had been assessed and engaged on its readiness to serve as an isolation and treatment centre.

The NCDC added that a dedicated ambulance had been secured and placed on standby for safe patient referrals, while healthcare workers were being sensitised on infection prevention measures. It also planned to strengthen isolation capacity at designated facilities, including Karu General Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.

Meanwhile, the WHO disclosed that the index patient was evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 for further medical care, alongside her husband, who was identified as a close contact.

Nigeria became the fifth country to detect the virus since the outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15, 2026

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