FCT Begins Contact Tracing After Ebola Case Confirmation

Following the discovery of a suspected imported case of Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Federal Government reportedly started contact tracing, identifying 44 close contacts.

Following the reported laboratory confirmation on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the ministry’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, signed a statement that quoted Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, as saying this.

The patient is described as a woman who recently traveled from Uganda to Nigeria on an international flight.

Before the diagnosis was confirmed, the woman reportedly spent several days receiving treatment at a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.

According to Pate, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCT Health Services Secretariat, and other pertinent authorities were collaborating to contain the reported infection.

According to him, public health teams have started contact tracing, identifying and keeping an eye on anyone who may have come into contact with the virus.

Healthcare personnel, patients, caregivers, and anyone who might have interacted with the patient while she was traveling are reportedly under observation.

According to the statement, the hospital where the patient was treated was getting assistance to improve infection prevention and control measures, and surveillance had been stepped up.

The minister asked everyone contacted during the tracing effort, including pertinent airline passengers, to comply with public health recommendations and provide the required information.

Additionally, he urged all public and private healthcare facilities across the country to maintain vigilance and promptly notify public health authorities of any suspected cases.

Healthcare personnel were instructed to keep a high level of suspicion, quickly identify and isolate suspected cases, and adhere to stringent infection prevention and control protocols.

Nigerians were advised by the government to maintain composure and alertness, wash their hands frequently, and stay away from bodily fluids from anyone suspected of having Ebola.

Ebola is a serious and potentially life-threatening disease, so the FCT health Minister should ensure that all contacts are promptly traced and that anyone who may be infected receives appropriate isolation and medical care to reduce the risk of transmission to the public. We wish everyone affected a speedy recovery.