FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS FIRST IMPORTED CASE OF EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE IN ABUJA, PLACING 44 CONTACTS UNDER STRICT SURVEILLANCE

NCDC and Federal Ministry of Health deploy emergency response teams, scale up contact tracing, and reinforce port health screening protocols to prevent domestic spread

The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed the country's first imported case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, after a female traveler who recently returned from Uganda tested positive for the infection.

Disclosing the development, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, confirmed that the index patient was immediately admitted to an isolation facility and is currently receiving specialized clinical management from specialized medical personnel.

Health authorities, in direct coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), have identified 44 contacts associated with the case, including healthcare personnel, co-passengers, caregivers, and facility staff, who have all been placed under strict daily health monitoring.

In response to the confirmed case, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Port Health Services have heightened screening procedures across all international entry points, enforcing temperature checks, health declaration verifications, and enhanced sanitation measures.

Reassuring the public, health officials emphasized that public health surveillance systems are operating at full capacity, advising citizens to practice regular hand hygiene, remain vigilant regarding suspicious symptoms, and rely strictly on verified guidance from official health channels.