Ebola: Nigeria records new suspected two cases

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two additional suspected cases of Ebola virus disease and 53 primary contacts as health authorities continue to monitor the situation and assess the risk of further transmission.

The Director-General of the NCDC, Jde Idris, I disclosed the development during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Centre has approved an emergency payment of N100,000 per person weekly to support people placed in isolation or quarantine as part of efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Federal Capital Territory.

In a related development, the Lagos State Government has expressed readiness to prevent, detect and respond to potential Ebola threats, urging residents to remain calm and vigilant.

The payment, according to Idris,  was introduced after some contacts complained about the cost of feeding, accommodation and maintaining their families while undergoing public health monitoring.

Idris disclosed this during a briefing on the agency’s response to the outbreak, explaining that the financial support was an emergency measure to ensure that people identified as contacts could comply with monitoring arrangements without facing additional financial hardship.

“We are paying for their accommodation; we are paying for their feeding. Some of them are asking for a stipend to maintain their families,” he said.

He added, “We are providing N100,000 per person per week just to maintain their comfort and feeding, because they were complaining.”

The NCDC boss explained that the intervention was not originally planned but became necessary because of the circumstances surrounding the outbreak. He said the agency would continue to review the arrangement as the response progressed.

“This was not planned for, but it is an emergency. We will continue to review it as we go along,” Idris said.

He also stressed that the Federal Capital Territory should not be the only jurisdiction prepared to provide such support, warning that other states would need to make adequate financial and logistical provisions should similar emergencies arise.

“This is not the responsibility of the FCT alone. What we have to do for the FCT, we have to do for any other state, just in case,” he said.

According to him, state governments must be prepared to provide the resources and materials required to support contact tracing, isolation and other response activities within their jurisdictions.

The payment comes as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission of Ebola following the confirmation of an imported case in Abuja on October 20.

Idris said Nigeria had recorded one confirmed case at the time of the briefing, with 53 primary contacts identified for monitoring. The contacts include healthcare workers, household members, domestic staff and personnel involved in collecting samples from the patient.

He said the contacts were being categorised according to their exposure and followed up by public health teams, while anyone developing symptoms would be assessed and tested.

The NCDC had also established isolation arrangements for contacts requiring them, with officials monitoring their health throughout the 21-day incubation period following their last possible exposure.

Idris said one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative, adding that surveillance and follow-up were continuing.

The agency was also strengthening infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities, training personnel and supporting the availability of protective equipment and laboratory supplies.

The confirmed case involves a woman who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus. She developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11 and was confirmed positive on October 20.

The World Health Organisation has identified the case as an imported infection and said investigations were continuing to establish the likely source of exposure. The ongoing regional outbreak has also affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya, underscoring the importance of cross-border surveillance and rapid identification of contacts.

Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 through case identification, contact tracing, isolation and coordinated public health action.

Idris said the NCDC was drawing on lessons from that experience while strengthening preparedness across states, warning that containing the current outbreak would require cooperation among government agencies, healthcare workers, affected contacts and the wider public.

He urged Nigerians to rely on verified information, avoid spreading rumours and cooperate with public health officials conducting contact tracing and monitoring.

The announcement comes amid efforts to strengthen disease surveillance, identify possible infections and ensure that individuals who may have been exposed to the virus receive the necessary attention.

According to the information released at the briefing, the two suspected cases are being treated as part of ongoing efforts to establish the extent of the potential health threat.

However, further details about the individuals, including their locations, symptoms and the circumstances surrounding their suspected infections, were not immediately provided in the initial announcement.

The identification of 53 primary contacts is also a significant part of the public health response.

Contact tracing allows health officials to identify people who may have had direct exposure to a suspected or confirmed case and monitor them for signs of illness.

The NCDC is expected to provide additional information as investigations progress and more details become available.

The latest development follows the Federal Government’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026.

The patient, a woman who had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda, tested positive for Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease and was placed in isolation for treatment.

Members of the public are also advised to avoid direct contact with anyone suspected of having Ebola and to practise regular hand hygiene.

The Federal Government had earlier said that genetic analysis showed the virus identified in Nigeria was related to the virus detected in Kenya.

However, officials cautioned that this finding alone did not establish a direct transmission link between the two cases. Further investigations were still required to determine their epidemiological relationship.

Further details are expected from the NCDC as investigations continue, including information about the locations of the suspected cases, their exposure histories and the results of laboratory tests.

As of the latest previously reported official update on October 24, the Federal Government maintained that Nigeria had one confirmed Ebola case, while monitoring contacts and awaiting some test results.

The two additional suspected cases announced by Idris would need to be assessed before any increase in confirmed infections could be established.

Meanwhile, the Lagos state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement on Sunday assured residents that there was no Ebola case in Lagos.

Abayomi’s reassurance followed the confirmation of an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus in Abuja.

He disclosed that the state Ministry of Health, through its Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, was strengthening disease surveillance, risk communication and community engagement.

According to him, the state is also collaborating with agencies at points of entry, including the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), to enhance early detection and response to suspected cases.

“As part of its preparedness efforts, the State has conducted a strategic engagement and assessment at MMIA with airport management, Port Health Services and other aviation and public health stakeholders.

“The engagement focused on passenger screening, information sharing, infection prevention and control, and coordination of emergency response measures.

“The ministry is also intensifying public enlightenment through educational materials on Ebola, its symptoms, transmission and prevention,” Abayomi said.

Ebola Virus Disease is a severe illness that can be fatal.

It spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood and other body fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms, contaminated materials, or the bodies of people who have died from the disease.

Infection may also occur through contact with infected animals.

The commissioner advised residents to avoid contact with potentially infectious materials and rely on verified information rather than rumours or speculation.

He explained that Ebola symptoms may develop between two and 21 days after exposure and include fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

The commissioner added that unexplained bleeding or bruising may occur in some cases.

He said, “As early symptoms can resemble malaria and other common illnesses.

“Residents who become unwell, particularly after possible exposure or travel from an area with active transmission, should seek prompt medical assessment.”

In line with Lagos State’s fever-management policy, Abayomi advised anyone with a fever to undergo a malaria rapid diagnostic test before taking antimalarial medicines.

“Where the test is negative, a healthcare professional should assess other possible causes and determine appropriate treatment.”

Abayomi also advised residents to wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with the body fluids of sick persons, refrain from handling potentially contaminated materials and avoid contact with sick or dead wild animals.

He appealed to travellers arriving in Nigeria, particularly from areas reporting Ebola transmission, to cooperate with Port Health Services and other authorised officials.

The commissioner urged them to provide accurate travel and health information when requested, and comply with applicable public health guidance.

“Anyone who develops symptoms during travel or after arrival should promptly notify the appropriate health personnel and seek guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.”

He emphasised that airlines and airport operators should sustain established public health protocols, while travellers should consult official advisories from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

The commissioner also urged travellers to consult the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for current guidance.

“Anyone who suspects exposure to Ebola, especially following contact with a suspected or confirmed case, should promptly contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.

“Suspected cases or relevant exposure concerns in Lagos may be reported through the State’s emergency numbers, 112 or 767.”

He added that exposures can also be reported to the Directorate of Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health, on 08023169485.

“Early detection and prompt reporting save lives.”

The commissioner stated that the Lagos government would continue to monitor developments, strengthen surveillance and response readiness, coordinate with relevant stakeholders and provide verified updates as necessary.