Nigeria's Health Minister Boosts Ebola Contact Tracing Efforts

Nigeria is intensifying its Ebola contact tracing efforts after confirming an imported case. Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced that 44 contacts have been identified for monitoring.

This initiative follows the emergence of the Bundibugyo virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2026. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has strengthened surveillance at entry points and is collaborating with the aviation industry.

The confirmed patient had traveled to Uganda and developed symptoms upon arrival in Nigeria. Pate stated that the country has the laboratory capacity to test for the Bundibugyo virus and urged healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion.

He advised Nigerians experiencing symptoms to report to health officials and emphasized the importance of adhering to public health measures. Pate expressed confidence in Nigeria's ability to contain the case, recalling the successful response to the Ebola outbreak in Lagos in 2014.