Mirian Gom 
ANAMBRA, Nigeria – Anambra State is monitoring seven people identified for public health follow-up after a reported Ebola case in Abuja, while 33 others have completed their monitoring period and been cleared, the state government has said.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, disclosed this during a press briefing and meeting with health authorities in Awka on Wednesday, adding that Anambra had no reported Ebola case as of the time of the briefing.
According to Obidike, the state had followed up 40 people of interest as of October 20, 2026. Of these, 33 had completed the prescribed monitoring period, while seven remained under active follow-up and were stable.
The monitoring exercise is being coordinated by the state Epidemiology Unit following referrals through the national surveillance system.
Obidike said the exercise was intended to identify symptoms early, investigate alerts promptly and reduce the risk of transmission. He stressed that being identified for monitoring did not mean a person had Ebola. “The Anambra State Ministry of Health has taken note of the announcement of a laboratory-confirmed case of Ebola in Abuja. We urge residents to remain calm, remain vigilant and cooperate with public health authorities,” he said.
He added that the state’s preparedness efforts had begun before the Abuja case was announced. The commissioner said designated surveillance officers had been assigned to monitor people of interest throughout the prescribed 21-day period, with regular communication, symptom checks, documentation and immediate escalation of health concerns.
He cautioned residents against stigmatising those under monitoring or circulating their identities and personal health information. Obidike said members of the state surveillance team had participated in a two-day online training organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention on monitoring people of interest.
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