FG to Equip Ebola Treatment Centres at Ports of Entry as Contact Tracing Reaches 53

An Ebola ward

The Federal Government of Nigeria is preparing to identify and equip dedicated Ebola treatment centres in states that host designated ports of entry, as the number of contacts linked to the country’s sole confirmed case has risen to 53.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the index case is a 42-year-old woman who returned to Abuja from Uganda via Addis Ababa on 3 October 2026. She developed symptoms — fever, diarrhoea, body aches and sore throat — on 7 October and was later confirmed positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease on 20 October.

NCDC Director-General Dr Jide Idris said the patient remains in isolation in Abuja and has “improved remarkably.” The 53 contacts under active monitoring include healthcare workers, domestic staff and the patient’s spouse. A suspected case reported in Rivers State has tested negative.

An NCDC situation report outlines next steps that include the “identification and optimisation of treatment centres in states with designated POEs” (ports of entry) and the establishment of clear referral pathways for any suspected cases. Authorities have also assessed facilities such as the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and are reviewing isolation capacity at other sites.

Enhanced surveillance continues at airports and other entry points, alongside public awareness campaigns and infection prevention measures in health facilities. The government has introduced a weekly stipend of ₦100,000 for those placed in isolation or quarantine to ease the financial burden of compliance.

Nigeria last faced an Ebola outbreak in 2014. Officials emphasise that there is currently no evidence of community transmission and that contact tracing and monitoring will continue for the full 21-day incubation period. The public is advised to cooperate with health teams and maintain heightened vigilance at points of entry.