Ebola: Ogun Steps Up Surveillance, Traces 111 Travellers After Abuja Case

The Ogun State Government has intensified surveillance and emergency preparedness following Nigeria’s confirmation of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, assuring residents that no infection had been recorded in the state as of Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, disclosed that 111 persons of interest, including travellers from high risk countries, had been identified, monitored and discharged from follow up after completing the required surveillance period.

According to Coker, Ogun had maintained heightened alert since the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier in 2026.

She said the state’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was coordinating preparedness and response activities to ensure suspected cases could be detected, reported and managed promptly.

The commissioner added that the capacity of disease surveillance officers, port health officials, health educators, clinicians and community informants had been strengthened through training on appropriate response procedures.

She said public awareness campaigns and infection prevention measures in healthcare facilities had also been intensified.

The development follows the Federal Government’s confirmation of an imported case of Ebola virus disease in Abuja involving a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda. The patient was reported to have tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus and was receiving medical care in isolation.

Federal health authorities said 44 contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified and were being monitored as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.

Coker urged residents to remain calm and vigilant, warning against spreading unverified information or stigmatising people who might be suspected of having the disease.

She advised residents to maintain proper hand hygiene, avoid direct contact with the blood and body fluids of suspected cases, and promptly contact public health authorities if they believed they had been exposed.

The commissioner also urged public and private healthcare facilities to identify and report suspected cases immediately, maintain strict infection prevention and control measures, and cooperate with surveillance teams.

She said the Ogun government would continue working with federal health authorities, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other relevant partners to monitor developments and strengthen the state’s response.

Residents were encouraged to report suspected cases promptly and follow official public health guidance to help prevent the spread of the disease.