NIGERIA CONFIRMS FIRST CASE OF BUNDIBUGYO EBOLA STRAIN

Nigeria has confirmed its first case of Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo strain, following laboratory tests on a patient receiving treatment in Abuja.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirmed the case on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests detected the virus in a woman who recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda. The patient is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the woman developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11. The infection was confirmed through laboratory testing on October 20.

At an emergency meeting on Wednesday, Olajumoke Babatunde, director of public health laboratory services at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), confirmed that tests identified the Bundibugyo strain.

“We did three levels of tests, but all molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” Babatunde said.

An official at the meeting identified the patient as a diplomat. Authorities are investigating the source of the infection and tracing people who may have been exposed to the virus.

The Federal Government said 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers, and other people who may have come into contact with the patient. Public health teams have also intensified surveillance and strengthened infection prevention measures at the hospital where she received treatment. 

The Bundibugyo strain is responsible for an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Nigeria is among the countries that have reported cases linked to the wider regional outbreak.

Unlike the Zaire strain of Ebola, for which licensed vaccines and treatments are available, there is currently no licensed vaccine or specifically approved treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease. Medical care focuses on supporting patients and managing complications.

Ebola can spread through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person who is showing symptoms, as well as contaminated objects. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

The Federal Government has urged healthcare facilities across the country to remain vigilant, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, and report them to public health authorities.

Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014, when the virus entered the country through an infected traveller. Health authorities are now working to identify potential exposures and prevent further transmission.