Seven ways to protect yourself and family from deadly Ebola virus

Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja continues to spark public comcerns as well as the need prevent spread of the infection.

The Federal Government confirmed the case on 20 October 2026 after laboratory tests detected Bundibugyo ebolavirus in a woman who had recently travelled to Nigeria. Health authorities are currently tracing 44 contacts with the reported case.

Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause serious illness and death. However, it can be prevented.

Here are seven ways to protect yourself and family from Ebola infection as advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and Nigeria’s health authorities.

Avoid direct contact bodily fluids of suspected or infected person

Ebola spreads primarily when the virus enters the body through broken skin or the moist linings of the eyes, nose or mouth after contact with infected bodily fluids.

These fluids include blood, vomit, faeces, urine, saliva, sweat and other secretions. Contact with the fluids of a person who has died from Ebola can also transmit the virus.

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Avoid touching a person suspected of having Ebola, particularly if they are vomiting, bleeding or experiencing diarrhoea. Do not attempt to provide close, unprotected care at home.

If someone develops symptoms that raise suspicion of Ebola, contact health authorities or a health facility for guidance on safe assessment and treatment.

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water

Hand hygiene is a practical way to reduce the risk of transferring infectious material from contaminated hands to the eyes, nose or mouth.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and running water, especially after using the toilet, before preparing or eating food, after caring for someone who is ill and after touching potentially contaminated items.

Where soap and water are unavailable, an alcohol-based hand sanitiser can be used as a temporary alternative when the hands are not visibly dirty.

However, handwashing should complement, not replace, avoiding contact with infected people and contaminated materials.

Avoid sharing or handling potentially contaminated items

Ebola can spread through objects contaminated with the bodily fluids of an infected person. These may include clothing, bedding, towels, needles and medical equipment.

Avoid sharing personal items with a suspected case, particularly items that may have been contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids. Do not handle soiled bedding, clothing or medical waste without appropriate training and protective equipment.

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If an item may have been contaminated, keep others away from it and notify health workers so that it can be handled and disinfected safely.

Ordinary contact with clean objects is not, by itself, a reason to assume that infection has occurred. The concern is exposure to materials contaminated with infectious bodily fluids.

Do not touch the bodies of people who have died from suspected Ebola

People who die from Ebola can remain infectious. Washing, dressing, carrying or preparing their bodies for burial without appropriate protective measures can expose family members, mourners and funeral workers to the virus.

Families should avoid direct contact with the body of anyone suspected of dying from Ebola and promptly notify public health authorities.

Trained burial teams can arrange a safe and dignified burial that respects the deceased and their family while reducing the risk of infection.

Where burial customs involve washing or touching the body, families should seek guidance on safe alternatives rather than attempting to carry out these practices themselves.

Avoid handling potentially infected wild animals

Ebola can spread from infected animals to humans. Fruit bats are considered likely natural hosts of ebolaviruses, while other animals, including monkeys, apes and forest antelopes, can become infected.

Exposure can occur when people hunt, handle, butcher or prepare infected animals, particularly animals found sick or dead.

Avoid touching sick or dead wild animals with bare hands, and do not handle or consume animals suspected of being infected. Avoid eating raw or inadequately cooked meat from potentially infected animals.

Thorough cooking can reduce the risk from contaminated animal products, but it does not make the handling of an infected animal safe. Precautions are necessary during hunting, transport and preparation.

Seek medical attention promptly if suspected, no self medication

Early symptoms of Ebola may include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and sore throat. Vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and other serious symptoms can develop later.

These symptoms can resemble those of malaria and other common illnesses, meaning symptoms alone cannot establish whether someone has Ebola.

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Anyone who has had contact with a suspected or confirmed case should contact public health authorities promptly, even if they feel well. People who develop compatible symptoms after a relevant exposure or travel history should also seek urgent medical guidance.

Call a health facility before arriving, where possible, and explain the exposure. This allows health workers to prepare to assess the person safely and reduces the risk of exposing others.

Do not rely on self-medication or move between several hospitals without informing health workers of the possible exposure.

Follow public health guidance, including advice after recovery

People identified as contacts of a confirmed case should cooperate with health authorities and follow instructions on symptom monitoring, testing, movement and medical assessment.

Ebola symptoms can take several days to appear after exposure, so feeling well immediately after contact does not rule out infection. Health authorities commonly monitor contacts for 21 days after their last exposure.

Some Ebola survivors may also retain the virus in certain body fluids, particularly semen, for a period after recovery. Sexual transmission has been documented in some Ebola outbreaks. Survivors should therefore follow the specific medical and public health advice given to them, including recommendations on safer sex where applicable.

People should rely on official guidance from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), rather than unverified social media claims.