Fresh concerns over a possible Ebola outbreak have emerged in Nigeria after two suspected cases were identified and isolated in the North-East. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed on Saturday that laboratory tests were being conducted on the individuals, while contact tracing had begun to identify people who may have been exposed. The agency stressed that the cases remained unconfirmed and that only laboratory results could establish whether the individuals had contracted the virus.
The NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said response teams had strengthened surveillance and were tracking the movements of the suspected cases. He urged Nigerians to avoid spreading unverified information, practice regular handwashing and use alcohol-based sanitizers. He also advised anyone experiencing unusual symptoms to seek medical attention at designated health facilities. Speaking on the Nigerian Television Authority’s Weekend File, the NCDC Incident Manager for Ebola, Dr Odianosen Ehiakhamen, said the samples were undergoing laboratory analysis, with results expected within 12 hours of their arrival at the laboratory. He confirmed that contact tracing had commenced in the affected state.
Ehiakhamen explained that identifying and monitoring contacts was essential to preventing further transmission, emphasizing that people listed as contacts should not be regarded as confirmed cases. He also disclosed that six individuals who had completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without developing symptoms were expected to leave the quarantine facility on Sunday. They reportedly included three healthcare workers who managed the patient, two domestic staff members and the patient’s driver. Meanwhile, public health expert Dr Francis Emmanuel called for transparency, prompt communication and effective surveillance, noting that accurate information and public cooperation were crucial to managing potential health threats.
The development comes days after the Federal Government announced Nigeria’s first imported Ebola case on October 20, 2026. Health Minister Prof. Ali Pate said the infected woman arrived from Uganda and developed symptoms on October 7 before seeking treatment at a private hospital in Abuja on October 11. Authorities initially identified 44 contacts, a figure that later rose to 53, with those listed placed under surveillance. The woman was evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 alongside her husband, who had not developed symptoms. Pate had earlier described her condition as clinically stable at the time of evacuation, while warning that the possibility of transmission remained.
However, Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at Ahmadu Bello University, Aisha Abubakar, said there was not enough information to determine whether the two newly suspected cases were imported infections or linked to the previously confirmed case. She called on the NCDC to provide further details about their travel history and possible exposure, while urging the Federal Government to strengthen disease surveillance, public education and emergency response systems. Abubakar also advised Nigerians returning from countries affected by Ebola to report symptoms such as fever, fatigue, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea to health authorities. The NCDC has urged the public to remain calm, maintain good hygiene and follow official updates as investigations continue.
