The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has heightened health surveillance across airport operations following a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease in the Federal Capital Territory.

The authority said it was working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Port Health Services, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other relevant agencies to support ongoing containment efforts.

FAAN disclosed this in a press release issued on Tuesday by its Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire.

According to the authority, the early identification of the case and the commencement of contact tracing underscore the importance of effective health surveillance and collaboration among relevant agencies in responding to public health threats.

“The early identification of the case and commencement of contact tracing underscore the importance of established public health protocols, effective surveillance and inter-agency collaboration in responding to potential health threats,” the statement said.

FAAN said it was maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and would continue to coordinate with public health authorities to implement further guidance and support additional measures considered necessary to protect passengers, airport personnel and the general public.

The authority also urged passengers, airport users, airlines and other stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials.

“The public is also advised to rely on verified information and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports,” the statement added.

FAAN reassured travellers of its readiness to work with relevant agencies to safeguard public health and ensure the safe operation of airports across the country.

The authority reiterated its commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to contain the outbreak while maintaining vigilance at Nigeria’s airports.

PUNCH Online had reported that the Federal Government on Tuesday confirmed Nigeria’s first imported case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory after a woman who recently travelled from Uganda tested positive for the infection.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, said 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who might have travelled with the woman.

Pate disclosed that the patient was isolated and receiving medical care, while health authorities intensified contact tracing to prevent further transmission.

Source: punchng.com

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The World Health Organisation Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has urged countries in the region to sustain a high level of preparedness following Nigeria’s first reported case of Ebola Virus Disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus.

The WHO boss made the call in a post on his official X handle on Wednesday, following confirmation of the case by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

“Contact tracing is ongoing. WHO and partners are working with the governments of Nigeria, Kenya and the DRC to strengthen the overall outbreak response,” Tedros said.

He added that countries in the region needed to maintain heightened vigilance to detect cases early, prevent further transmission and protect healthcare workers and communities.

“WHO urges all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness, which is essential to detect cases early, prevent onward transmission and protect health workers and communities,” he said.

PUNCH Online had reported that the Federal Government on Tuesday confirmed Nigeria’s first imported case of Ebola Virus Disease in the Federal Capital Territory after a woman who recently travelled from Uganda tested positive for the infection.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, said the patient is in isolation and receiving medical care, while health authorities intensify efforts to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus.

He added that 44 contacts had been identified for monitoring, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who might have travelled with the patient.

The Federal Government also called for calm, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information and follow public health guidance as surveillance measures were strengthened.

It advised Nigerians to practise good hand hygiene, familiarise themselves with the symptoms of Ebola and seek guidance from public health authorities if they suspected exposure.

The government added that it was working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other relevant health authorities to protect public health and strengthen surveillance following the confirmation of the case in the FCT.

This is as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention calls for urgent international support to contain the outbreak spreading across parts of Africa.

The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed on Tuesday that the infected woman had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and developed symptoms on October 7, four days before seeking medical attention at a private hospital in Abuja.

According to Pate, the patient visited the facility on October 11, but her condition subsequently worsened, prompting further tests that confirmed the infection on October 20, 2026.

“The patient is a woman who had travelled to Eastern Africa, to Uganda in particular. She came back, had symptoms that commenced on the 7th of October.

“On the 11th, she attended a private facility where she was being taken care of. Her symptoms progressed, and further tests indicated that she had Ebola virus disease,” the minister said.

The patient is currently in isolation and receiving medical care, while public health authorities work to identify and monitor everyone who might have been exposed to the virus.

“Contact tracing has been conducted, and it’s underway as we speak, with 44 contacts already identified,” Pate said.

He said the contacts being monitored included healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and people who might have travelled with the woman.

The minister specifically urged anyone contacted by public health teams, including passengers who might have travelled with the patient, to provide the requested information and comply with public health advice.

“Anyone contacted during the contact tracing period that we are in, including those who may have travelled with that individual, should provide necessary information requested and follow public health advice,” he said.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the FCT Health Secretariat, the World Health Organisation and Africa CDC are collaborating to contain the infection and prevent further transmission.

Pate said the private hospital where the patient received treatment was receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.

He also urged public and private health facilities nationwide to remain on high alert and promptly isolate and report suspected cases.

The confirmation in Nigeria comes amid a wider regional Ebola emergency.

Kenya has reported nine confirmed cases, according to information available on Tuesday, October 20, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to battle the outbreak.

The developments have heightened concerns about cross-border transmission and the capacity of health systems to respond to new infections.

In a statement titled “Ebola in Nigeria: An Urgent Call for Global Solidarity,” Africa CDC Director-General, Dr Jean Kaseya, said he had spoken with Pate about Nigeria’s confirmed case and commended him for promptly sharing the information.

Kaseya said Africa CDC had warned of the regional implications of the outbreak when it was declared on May 15, 2026.

“This Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak has already become the most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak in history, affecting multiple countries across three regions of Africa,” he said.

He warned that the situation in the DRC remained particularly serious, with the mortality rate approaching 50 per cent, and said Africa CDC was mobilising support for Nigeria while intensifying its response in the DRC and Kenya and maintaining heightened vigilance in Uganda.

“My appeal to the international community is urgent: Act Now,” Kaseya said.

He called for immediate and flexible financing, medical supplies, diagnostic capacity, trained responders and stronger community-based surveillance, warning that delays could cost lives.

“We cannot allow this outbreak to spread to more countries or continue for another year,” he said.

Kaseya urged international health agencies, development partners and governments to coordinate support for affected countries, stressing that containing the outbreak in Africa was essential to global health security.

“Africa’s health security is global health security. Stopping Ebola in Africa today means protecting the world. Nigeria has our full solidarity. Together, we must defeat this outbreak,” he said.

Ebola virus disease is a severe illness caused by viruses in the Orthoebolavirus genus. The current regional outbreak involves the Bundibugyo virus, which has previously caused outbreaks in Central and East Africa.

The disease spreads primarily through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or someone who has died from the infection.

Transmission can also occur through contaminated clothing, bedding, medical equipment and other materials. Contact with infected animals can also expose humans to the virus.

Symptoms typically appear between two and 21 days after exposure and include fever, severe headache, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

Some patients may experience bleeding, although it is not present in every case. Early symptoms can resemble malaria and other common illnesses, making prompt medical assessment and laboratory testing important.

People who develop symptoms after possible exposure are advised to contact public health authorities immediately, disclose their travel and contact history, and follow official instructions.

Ebola is not generally transmitted before symptoms develop, making early detection, isolation and contact tracing central to preventing further spread.

Preventive measures include regular handwashing, avoiding contact with the body fluids of suspected or confirmed cases, using appropriate protective equipment when caring for patients, safely handling contaminated materials and ensuring that suspected Ebola-related deaths are managed by trained personnel.

Pate urged Nigerians to remain calm but vigilant, avoid spreading unverified information and cooperate with contact-tracing teams.

He recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of an Ebola outbreak in 2014, saying the country had the public health expertise and response systems required to manage the current case.

The minister also disclosed that the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease had been constituted in May 2026 as part of the government’s preparedness efforts.

Members of the public seeking information or wishing to report suspected cases can contact the NCDC’s toll-free line, 6232, which the minister said operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Federal Government said investigations and contact tracing were continuing, with further updates expected as more information becomes available.

Source: punchng.com

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