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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has isolated two additional suspected Ebola cases in North-East Nigeria as health authorities intensify surveillance and contact tracing.
The development follows Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of the Bundibugyo virus strain in the country.
In an update released on Saturday, October 31, 2026, the NCDC said laboratory investigations were ongoing to determine whether the two individuals had contracted the disease.
The agency also said health officials were identifying and listing contacts to establish whether other people might have been exposed and require monitoring.
However, the NCDC cautioned that being classified as a suspected case does not mean a person has confirmed Ebola infection. It said laboratory results would determine their status.
The agency did not disclose the identities of the individuals, the states where they were identified, their travel histories or the circumstances surrounding their isolation.
The latest development comes 11 days after Nigeria confirmed its first case of the current outbreak involving a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda.
Nigeria’s First Confirmed Case And Evacuation To Switzerland
Nigeria confirmed its first case of the current outbreak on October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests established that a woman who arrived in Abuja from Uganda had contracted the Bundibugyo virus.
According to the NCDC’s October 29 situation report, the patient arrived in Nigeria on October 3 and developed symptoms on October 7.
She was admitted to a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.
The agency received notification of the suspected infection on October 19 and subsequently began investigations and collected samples for laboratory testing.
Following confirmation on October 20, authorities isolated the patient and provided medical care. They also activated a coordinated response to prevent further transmission.
The NCDC later disclosed that the patient was clinically stable before her evacuation to Switzerland on October 26.
The evacuation followed a formal request from her country and clearance from Nigerian authorities. Officials carried it out under medical and infection prevention protocols.
Although the patient was no longer receiving treatment in Nigeria after the evacuation, health authorities continued monitoring people identified as contacts.
NCDC Identifies 62 Contacts
The NCDC’s October 29 situation report showed that authorities had identified, categorised and placed 62 contacts linked to Nigeria’s confirmed case under follow-up.
The agency said monitoring would continue into November, depending on the dates of the contacts’ last possible exposure.
Contact tracing involves identifying people who may have been exposed to an infected person, assessing their risk and monitoring their health for the required period.
The report also showed that the agency had tested 18 samples as of October 29. One returned positive, while 17 tested negative.
The negative results included samples from 15 contacts of the confirmed patient and two other suspected cases.
The NCDC also recorded a suspected case from Enugu State that returned a negative laboratory result.
It further reported that officials had identified no new contacts or symptomatic contacts during the preceding 24 hours.
The two additional suspected cases in the North-East represent a fresh development in Nigeria’s surveillance efforts.
However, the NCDC has not established whether they are connected to the confirmed case in Abuja.
The agency has also not disclosed whether the individuals had known exposure to the confirmed patient or travelled to areas affected by the outbreak.
DRC Records Thousands Of Infections As Kenya Reports Cases
Nigeria’s latest development comes amid a regional outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) recording the highest reported burden.
In its October 23 outbreak update, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that the DRC had recorded 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 deaths as of October 20.
The infections affected 66 health zones across eight provinces. The WHO placed the crude case fatality ratio at 48.3 per cent.
The organisation said transmission was continuing in the DRC and highlighted challenges involving early detection and timely access to medical care.
Kenya also reported nine cases, including one death, as of October 20.
The country detected an imported infection in a person who had travelled from the DRC through Uganda.
According to the WHO, authorities identified eight additional cases among known contacts of the initial patient.
The organisation said there was no evidence of wider community transmission in Kenya at the time of its report.
Nigeria became the fifth country to detect the virus since the outbreak was declared in the DRC on May 15, 2026.
The other countries identified in the WHO update were the DRC, Uganda, France and Kenya.
Uganda Declares End To Bundibugyo Outbreak
Uganda, which featured in the travel history of Nigeria’s confirmed patient, had earlier declared the end of its Bundibugyo virus outbreak.
The announcement followed 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case.
The WHO and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced the development on August 27.
Uganda completed the internationally recognised 42-day monitoring period after discharging its last patient on July 16.
The country recorded 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths, while 18 patients recovered.
Fifteen infections were imported from the DRC, while five were locally acquired among contacts and healthcare workers linked to imported cases.
Authorities identified and monitored more than 800 contacts during the response.
The WHO said Uganda’s response included early detection, laboratory confirmation, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care.
It also involved infection prevention, community engagement and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.
Despite declaring the outbreak over, the WHO warned that continued transmission in the DRC and cross-border movement made sustained regional surveillance necessary.
NCDC Strengthens Response, Urges Public Cooperation
Following confirmation of the Abuja case, the NCDC activated a coordinated national response involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, FCT health authorities, government agencies and technical partners.
The response includes contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, surveillance and efforts to strengthen isolation and treatment facilities.
In an October 25 address, the NCDC Director-General said the national response was operating through an Incident Management System and an Emergency Operations Centre.
The agency also clarified that people identified as contacts of an Ebola patient should not automatically be considered infected.
It explained that contact identification helps public health officials assess exposure and monitor individuals for possible symptoms.
The NCDC urged Nigerians contacted by public health officials to cooperate and provide accurate information about their movements, contacts and symptoms.
It also advised the public to maintain proper hand hygiene, practise enhanced sanitation and follow official public health guidance.
The agency warned against spreading unverified information and urged Nigerians to rely on official updates as investigations into the two suspected North-East cases continue.
The NCDC said it would provide further information as verified details became available.
Members of the public seeking guidance can contact its toll-free line on 6232 or visit the agency’s official website.
