-
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two additional suspected Ebola cases in the North-East, with both individuals isolated.
-
Contact identification and listing are ongoing, while samples from the suspected patients are undergoing laboratory tests to determine their infection status.
-
The agency has stressed that the two cases are yet to be confirmed, warning against treating suspected infections as established cases.
-
The development comes amid Nigeria’s ongoing Ebola surveillance and response following the earlier confirmation of a Bundibugyo virus infection in a woman who was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland.
October 31, (THEWILL) – Nigeria has recorded two more suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the North-East region, with health authorities isolating the affected individuals and commencing investigations to determine whether they are infected.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed this in an update published on its official X handle on Saturday, saying laboratory testing and contact-tracing activities were ongoing.
According to the agency, both individuals had been isolated as part of measures to prevent possible transmission while their samples were being subjected to laboratory investigations.
The NCDC said public health officials were also identifying and documenting people who might have had contact with the suspected patients.
It, however, cautioned that the classification of the individuals as suspected cases did not establish that they had contracted the disease, explaining that confirmation would depend on the outcome of laboratory tests.
“Two suspected cases of Ebola disease have been identified in Nigeria’s North-East region. Both individuals have been isolated, contact identification and listing are ongoing, and laboratory testing is being conducted.
“Being classified as suspected cases does not mean they are confirmed Ebola cases; confirmation is subject to laboratory results,” the agency stated.
It urged Nigerians to maintain good hand hygiene, practise enhanced sanitation and follow preventive guidance issued by public health authorities.
NCDC also said further information would be made available as verified details emerged from the ongoing investigations.
The latest development comes amid Nigeria’s response to an imported case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which was confirmed on October 20, 2026, involving a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda to Nigeria through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The woman arrived in Abuja on October 3 and reportedly developed symptoms on October 7. She subsequently sought medical attention at a private health facility before being admitted to another hospital on October 11.
The NCDC was notified on October 19, prompting investigations and laboratory tests that confirmed the infection the following day.
READ ALSO:
The patient was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers before being medically evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 following a formal request from her country.
Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland for isolation and monitoring.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), in an update published on October 30, said Nigeria had identified 42 contacts linked to the confirmed case as of October 29, with all placed under follow-up.
The agency also reported that the confirmed patient was receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospital, while her husband was being isolated at Zurich University Hospital. ECDC +1
The Bundibugyo virus belongs to the Ebola virus family and causes a severe disease in humans. Infection can occur through direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated materials.
Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, internal or external bleeding.
Nigeria’s current response has involved the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, state health authorities and international health partners, with surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing and infection prevention measures forming part of the intervention.
The country has previous experience managing Ebola, having successfully contained an outbreak in 2014 after the virus was introduced into Lagos by a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer.
That outbreak resulted in 20 confirmed and probable cases and eight deaths before it was declared over by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in October 2014.
The NCDC has continued to urge healthcare facilities to strengthen screening, early detection, isolation and infection prevention measures, while members of the public are advised to promptly report symptoms or suspected exposure to appropriate health authorities.
The agency said it would continue to provide updates on the two suspected cases in the North-East as laboratory results and other verified information become available.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
