Ebola: NCDC Monitors 28 Contacts of Imported Case as 34 Complete 21-Day Surveillance

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says 28 people linked to the country’s imported Ebola case remain under medical surveillance, while 34 others have completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period.

The agency’s Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this in a national health security update released on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, assuring Nigerians that no additional confirmed cases of the disease had been recorded.

Idris said Nigeria had confirmed only one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease as of November 9, adding that the government was maintaining heightened surveillance to prevent further transmission.

He explained that 62 contacts had been identified and placed under monitoring. While 34 have successfully completed their individual 21-day follow-up, the remaining 28 are still being monitored by health officials.

The NCDC director-general emphasised that being identified as a contact does not mean an individual has contracted Ebola. He explained that the monitoring period allows health authorities to identify possible symptoms early and provide prompt medical attention where necessary.

Idris said the country’s response includes contact tracing, investigation of suspected cases, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, safe clinical care and surveillance at points of entry. These measures are being implemented in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, state governments and development partners.

The imported case was confirmed in October after a woman who arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda developed symptoms. She was initially treated at a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory before being evacuated to Switzerland for further medical care. The Federal Government subsequently began tracing people who had been in contact with her.

The NCDC had earlier projected that all 62 contacts would complete their monitoring by November 13, 2026, with individual follow-up periods expected to end between October 31 and November 13. The agency also announced two suspected Ebola cases in the North-East on October 31, prompting further investigations and surveillance.