Ebola primary contacts rise to 54 in Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention stated on Monday that it has identified another contact linked to the recent Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, bringing the total number of primary contacts to 54. Dr. Jide Idris, the Director-General of the agency, said the new contact is an e-hailing driver who drove the index patient.

Dr. Idris explained during an interview on Politics Today that many of the contacts are in quarantine in Abuja. About 40 of them are in a quarantine facility, while six people are observing self-quarantine at home because their risks appear low. Health workers are monitoring the home-based contacts by calling them and checking their temperatures every morning and evening.

The agency tested three people recently after their conditions changed, and all three results came back negative. Officials are also working to trace secondary contacts. The incubation period lasts between two and 21 days, and contacts must be monitored for that period before a person can be declared free of the virus.

People who feel unwell or notice anyone falling ill should contact the nearest public health centre. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention operates a toll-free hotline, 6232, which is open 24 hours a day. Dr. Idris dismissed claims that evacuating the index patient to Switzerland showed a lack of confidence in the Nigerian healthcare system, stating that the Swiss government provided the air ambulance following a diplomatic request.

The Federal Government previously announced Nigeria's first confirmed case of the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja on October 20, 2026. The patient is a woman who travelled to Uganda and returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7. The index patient has since been flown to Switzerland after showing clinical improvement.