…Says patient on path to recovery
The Federal Government says there is no immediate need to cancel public events such as campaigns, conferences and other large public gatherings following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case.
Government confirmed an imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests detected Bundibugyo virus in a woman who had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda.
Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, speaking at a press breifing in Abuja on Thursday, said government would consider restrictions if the situation worsened. He said any decision would be based on scientific evidence and public health advice.
“At this moment, there is no indication that requires us to alter the course of large gatherings that have been planned,” he said.
“But if the situation changes, we’ll make a determination; we’ll consult broadly with the right experts and make that determination”, he added.
The minister also warned politicians against using the Ebola case to score political points. He said public health was a concern shared by all Nigerians, regardless of their political, religious or ethnic backgrounds.
“If there is one issue that will unite Nigerians, it is health, because health has no political party, has no citizenship, has no nationality, has no tribe, no religion. It is a great unifier,” he said.
Pate also assured that the patient was receiving treatment and showing signs of recovery.
“Today, I spoke to the clinicians, and I understand that laboratory results are showing great improvement, and there is a possibility that she would recover from this,” he said.
“We have to continue to pray and work hard to ensure that she survives it,” he added.
According to Pate, the patient had no symptoms when she arrived in Nigeria but became ill a few days later. He said those identified through her hospital visits, contact at home and visit to a private clinic had been assessed and grouped according to their level of exposure.
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“The high-risk contacts have been quarantined fully in a facility. The others have been isolated, and we are ensuring that the isolation is enforced, consistent with public health expert guidelines,” he said.
Pate informed that President Bola Tinubu had released additional funds to the NCDC to support the response, while the government was working to provide more domestic resources for preparedness and containment.
Pate said further laboratory tests, including genomic sequencing, were being planned to help experts understand the strain of Ebola detected in the patient.
Pate urged Nigerians to remain careful, wash their hands regularly and avoid unnecessary contact with other people’s body fluids.
“We are assuring Nigerians that we can be able to deal with it. But to do that, we need the cooperation of Nigerians to follow expert advice,” he urged.
The minister also urged people identified as contacts of the patient to comply with quarantine and isolation rules, warning that failure to do so could put others at risk.
He said federal hospitals had been directed to prepare isolation beds and strengthen measures to prevent infections, particularly among frontline health workers.
He added that private hospitals and medical practitioners were also asked to report suspected Ebola cases to public health authorities without delay.
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