Nigeria Ebola contact tracing has expanded to 53 primary contacts after an additional nine people were identified, health authorities said on October 25, 2026. The woman at the center of the investigation remains the country’s only confirmed case.

Key Takeaways

  • The contact count rose from 44 to 53, including health workers and members of the patient’s family and household staff.
  • A suspected case in Rivers State tested negative.
  • Nigeria has announced enhanced screening for international airport arrivals.

Nigeria Ebola contacts include health workers and family

Jide Idris, head of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, said the original 44 contacts were health care workers. The additional nine included more health staff, as well as members of the woman’s family and household staff.

The 42-year-old woman, whose husband works at the Swiss embassy in Abuja, had traveled with him in Uganda before returning to Nigeria. She is receiving treatment.

Some experts have expressed concern about possible transmission between her arrival on October 3 and the announcement of her diagnosis on October 20.

Screening and the wider outbreak

Nigeria has announced enhanced screening for international airport arrivals. Domestic flights are not conducting screening measures.

The Nigerian case was identified as an imported infection with the Bundibugyo strain. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recorded more than 4,600 deaths since declaring its 17th Ebola outbreak in May 2026.

Uganda has recorded 20 cases, including two deaths, although the World Health Organization has officially declared it Ebola-free. Uganda said on October 25 that its nationals returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo would have to spend 21 days in quarantine.

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