NCDC says no new Ebola case, but 28 contacts are still under watch

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says no new Ebola case had been confirmed in Nigeria as of November 9, 2026, but 28 contacts of the first imported case are still being monitored.

Of the 62 contacts identified, 34 have completed their individual 21-day follow-up and 28 are still under watch, the agency said. Director-General Dr Jide Idris gave the figures in a national health security update on Tuesday.

Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola Virus Disease, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, on October 20, 2026, in a traveller from Uganda. Idris said the NCDC, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCT Administration, state authorities and development partners, has kept up contact tracing, investigation of alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention and surveillance at points of entry.

He clarified that the 21 days counted from the confirmation of the first case should not be confused with the separate monitoring period for each contact. Being listed as a contact does not mean a person has Ebola, he said: the follow-up exists so that symptoms are caught early and the right action is taken.

The NCDC urged health workers in public and private facilities to stay alert, ask patients about travel history and possible exposure, follow infection prevention measures and report suspected cases at once. Anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure should avoid contact with others and call the toll-free line, 6232, before travelling to a health facility.

Beyond Ebola, the agency confirmed dengue fever in Sokoto and Zamfara states and chikungunya in Sokoto State, and warned of other threats including diphtheria, Lassa fever and cerebrospinal meningitis. Rapid response teams, including entomologists from the National Arbovirus Research Centre in Enugu, have been sent to help affected states with case identification, laboratory work and mosquito control.

Idris also warned Nigerians against assuming that every fever is malaria, noting that dengue and chikungunya can cause fever, headache, body pain and joint pain. Severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, bleeding and difficulty breathing can signal serious dengue complications that need urgent medical attention, he said. The NCDC also urged parents to make sure their children receive routine vaccination against diphtheria.