By Blessing Bature
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), triggering an emergency public health response, including contact tracing, surveillance and strengthened infection prevention measures.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the case.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
Pate said the patient had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care.
He disclosed that contact tracing had commenced, with 44 close contacts identified so far. Public health teams are working to identify and monitor individuals who may have been exposed to the infection, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
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 are collaborating to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.
The minister said surveillance had been intensified, while the affected hospital was receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
He called on public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain on high alert, urging health workers to maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention protocols and immediately report suspected infections to public health authorities.
Explaining the risk of transmission, Pate said Ebola spreads 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 contact with contaminated materials.
He stressed that a person infected with Ebola cannot transmit the disease before symptoms begin.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having the disease.
He listed symptoms to watch for as fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the infection.
Pate advised anyone who suspects possible exposure to report immediately to public health authorities, even if they feel well. Those who develop symptoms should avoid close contact with others and contact health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
He also urged people contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to provide the necessary information and comply with public health instructions.
The minister cautioned against spreading rumours or stigmatising affected individuals, emphasising the need for Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Reassuring the public, Pate recalled that Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, noting that the country had experience and public health systems to respond to the current case.
However, he stressed that preventing further spread would require collective action, early detection, prompt reporting and cooperation with health officials.
The Federal Government, FCT authorities and their partners, he said, were working together to protect healthcare workers, patients and the wider public, while investigations into the case continued.
The government, through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC, pledged to provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Members of the public can contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.
