By Rotimi Odofin
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola illness in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, following laboratory affirmation on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and has activated emergency public well being measures to stop additional transmission.
The affected person, a girl who just lately arrived in Nigeria on a world flight from Uganda, was admitted to a non-public hospital in the FCT, the place she obtained remedy for a number of days earlier than the analysis was confirmed. She is at the moment in isolation and receiving medical care.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a press assertion, noting that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and different related authorities have been working collectively to include the an infection.
According to the assertion, contact tracing has commenced, with 44 shut contacts recognized up to now. The contacts embrace healthcare employees, sufferers, caregivers and journey contacts who might have been uncovered to the an infection.
Public well being surveillance has additionally been intensified, whereas the hospital the place the affected person was handled is receiving fast assist to strengthen an infection prevention and management measures.
The Federal Government has directed private and non-private healthcare services nationwide to stay on excessive alert, urging healthcare employees to take care of a excessive index of suspicion, promptly determine and isolate suspected instances, observe strict an infection prevention and management protocols, and instantly report suspected instances to the suitable public well being authorities.
The authorities defined that Ebola spreads via direct contact with the blood or different physique fluids of an contaminated one that is sick or has died from the illness, as effectively as via contact with contaminated supplies.
It careworn that an contaminated particular person can not transmit the illness earlier than signs start.
Nigerians have consequently been suggested to stay calm however vigilant, practise common hand hygiene, keep away from contact with the physique fluids of anybody suspected of getting Ebola, and look ahead to signs such as fever, extreme weak point, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea, significantly following attainable publicity.
The authorities additional suggested anybody who suspects publicity to report instantly to public well being authorities, even in the absence of signs. Persons who develop signs have been urged to keep away from shut contact with others and search steering from public well being authorities by phone earlier than visiting a healthcare facility.
Relevant airline passengers and different individuals contacted through the tracing train have additionally been urged to cooperate with public well being groups, present the required info and adjust to official steering.
The assertion cautioned in opposition to the unfold of rumours and the stigmatisation of affected individuals, urging Nigerians to rely completely on verified info from official well being authorities.
Reassuring the general public, the Federal Government recalled Nigeria’s profitable containment of the Ebola outbreak in 2014, noting that the nation has related expertise and public well being methods to answer the present case.
However, it emphasised that stopping additional transmission would require early detection, immediate reporting and the cooperation of members of the general public.
The authorities mentioned investigations have been persevering with and promised to offer correct and well timed updates via the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the NCDC.
Members of the general public in search of info or wishing to report a suspected case can contact the NCDC’s toll-free name centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
The assertion was signed by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
