Ebola: 28 contacts still under surveillance, 34 cleared, says NCDC

Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has said 28 people linked to the country’s imported Ebola case are still being monitored, while 34 others have completed the mandatory 21-day follow-up.

The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, disclosed this in the agency’s national health security update released on Tuesday.

He said Nigeria had continued to strengthen its response to the outbreak through coordinated efforts involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, state authorities and development partners.

According to Idris, the response measures include contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, safe clinical care and surveillance at points of entry.

“As of 9 November 2026, Nigeria had confirmed only one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, with no additional confirmed cases,” he said.

“We continue to investigate reported alerts and maintain heightened surveillance across the country to ensure that suspected cases are promptly identified and investigated.

“A total of 62 contacts have been identified. Of these, 34 have completed their individual 21-day follow-up, while the remaining 28 are still under monitoring.”

The NCDC chief clarified that being identified as a contact did not automatically mean that an individual had contracted the virus.

He explained that the 21-day monitoring period was designed to enable health officials to detect possible symptoms early and initiate appropriate medical interventions.

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Idris also cautioned against confusing the monitoring period for individual contacts with the total number of days since the index case was confirmed.

Earlier in November, the NCDC projected that surveillance of all 62 contacts traced to the imported Ebola case would be concluded by November 13.

The agency had said, “Contacts are expected to complete follow-up by November. Expected completion dates range from 31 Oct to 13 Nov 2026.”

The Federal Government announced the confirmation of an Ebola case in the FCT in October.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, said 44 close contacts had initially been identified for tracing as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.

Pate disclosed that the index patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria aboard an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the disease was confirmed.

The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland for further medical care.

On October 31, the NCDC also announced the identification of two suspected Ebola cases in the North-East, prompting further surveillance and investigation.