Ebola: NCDC Tracks 53 Contacts, Orders Hospitals To Isolate Suspects

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified and begun monitoring 53 contacts linked to the country’s confirmed Ebola case, while directing hospitals nationwide to isolate suspected cases without waiting for laboratory confirmation.

The agency’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, gave the directive on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as health authorities intensified efforts to prevent further transmission of the disease.

Nigeria confirmed one case of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20. The patient, a 42-year-old woman, returned to Nigeria from Uganda through Addis Ababa on October 3.

According to the NCDC, she developed symptoms, including fever, diarrhoea, generalised body aches and sore throat, on October 7. She visited a private health facility on October 10 and was admitted to another facility the following day. The agency was notified on October 19, and laboratory testing confirmed the infection a day later.

The 53 contacts identified include healthcare workers, the patient’s spouse and domestic staff, as well as personnel involved in her medical care and sample collection. The contacts have been categorised according to their level of exposure and are being followed up by public health teams.

Health officials are expected to monitor identified contacts for 21 days after their last possible exposure. The NCDC said no contact had tested positive as of its latest situation report, while the confirmed patient was receiving treatment in isolation and had shown significant improvement.

Idris warned healthcare facilities against delaying protective measures while awaiting test results. He directed hospitals to screen and assess patients appropriately, promptly separate suspected cases from others, notify public health authorities and enforce infection prevention and control procedures.

The measures include proper hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, safe handling of medical equipment and waste, and the correct use of personal protective equipment.

In a related development, a suspected Ebola case reported in Rivers State on October 23 tested negative, according to the NCDC’s situation report dated October 24.

The agency urged Nigerians to cooperate with contact-tracing teams, report relevant symptoms and avoid stigmatising people identified as contacts, stressing that being monitored does not mean a person has contracted Ebola.