FG Gives Fresh Update On Ebola

The Federal Government has projected December 7, 2026, as a possible date for Nigeria to declare the Ebola outbreak over, provided no new confirmed or probable cases are detected.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Monday, October 26, following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland.

The minister said the proposed date would depend on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) validating the required 42-day countdown.

Naija News reports that Nigeria confirmed its first case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on October 20, 2026.

The patient was identified as a woman who had recently travelled to Uganda and returned to Nigeria on October 7 with symptoms that later worsened. Tests subsequently confirmed that she had the virus.

However, Ugandan authorities denied reports of an Ebola outbreak in the East African country.

In a post on his 𝕏 account on Monday (today), Pate said the government was continuing to monitor people who had contact with the patient, investigate alerts and strengthen preparedness across health facilities.

He stated, “Following the imported Ebola index patient’s medical evacuation from Nigeria today, 26 October, our immediate priorities remain active monitoring of all identified contacts, prompt investigation of alerts and strengthened readiness across our health facilities.

“If no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, Nigeria could progress towards declaring this outbreak over under WHO criteria, potentially as early as 7 December 2026.”

Pate stressed that the date was provisional and would depend on the validation of the 42-day countdown by the NCDC and WHO.

He warned that any new confirmed or probable case could affect the timeline and require a fresh countdown in line with the international health body’s criteria.

“Our teams, working with FCTA and state health authorities and our partners, remain focused on containment and preventing community transmission,” the minister said.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow official updates from the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The development comes after the NCDC disclosed on Sunday that the number of people linked to the index patient had risen to 53, including health workers.

Health authorities are monitoring the identified contacts as part of efforts to prevent further transmission of the virus.

Pate also confirmed on Monday that the infected woman had been evacuated to Switzerland alongside her husband.

According to the minister, the patient was stable, conscious and had shown clinical improvement at the time of the evacuation.

However, he cautioned that her improved condition did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious.

Pate said strict safety measures and protocols were put in place before the evacuation to reduce the risk of transmission.