ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says all 62 contacts identified following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Nigeria are expected to complete monitoring by November 13, 2026.
The agency disclosed this in its latest Ebola Disease Situation Report, obtained by Channels Television on Monday. Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in the current outbreak on October 20, after laboratory tests detected the Bundibugyo virus in a woman who had travelled from Uganda.
According to the NCDC, the 62 contacts are scheduled to complete follow-up at different times between October 31 and November 13. The report stated that contact tracing and monitoring were ongoing, with additional contact tracers identified and trained to strengthen surveillance.
The agency also said it planned to assess additional contacts for possible transfer to a quarantine facility and continue monitoring those already in quarantine. It added that a high-level meeting had been held with partner agencies to strengthen coordination, mobilise resources and improve accountability in the response.
The NCDC said 18 samples had been tested since the outbreak was confirmed. One sample, collected from the index case, tested positive, while 17 returned negative results. The negative samples comprised 15 collected from contacts and two from suspected cases.
It also planned to implement an infection prevention and control ring strategy, strengthen screening and isolation measures, and assess the capacity of Karu General Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory to accommodate additional patients.
The NCDC said it would continue coordinating the response across One Health sectors and partners, implementing its Incident Action Plan and strengthening preparedness in states considered at high risk.
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