The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified two suspected Ebola cases in Nigeria’s North-East, with both individuals isolated as health authorities conduct laboratory tests to determine whether they have tested positive for the virus.
The agency in a press statement on Saturday said contact identification and listing were ongoing to establish possible exposure and prevent further transmission.
However, the NCDC did not name the two states where the suspected cases were identified but promised to provide further updates on the matter.
The development comes barely days after Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026. Nigeria confirmed its first case after laboratory tests returned positive for a 42-year-old woman who had travelled to the country from Uganda through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on October 3.
According to the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, the woman developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, where she was admitted.
Following the confirmation, health authorities commenced contact tracing, initially identifying 44 people who might have been exposed to the virus.
The number later increased as investigations expanded and the NCDC’s October 29 situation report put the number of identified contacts at 62, all of whom were being monitored.
The index patient was medically evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 following a formal request from her country and clearance from Nigerian authorities.
The NCDC also strengthened surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control measures, while working with international partners to contain the infection.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain of Ebola virus disease. The wider outbreak was reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2026 and subsequently spread to other African countries, including Kenya.
The development has heightened regional health surveillance, with Nigeria’s authorities working to prevent further local transmission.
The NCDC has urged Nigerians to maintain proper hand hygiene, practise enhanced sanitation and comply with public health advisories.
It also advised the public against spreading unverified information, stressing the importance of relying on updates from health authorities.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.