NCDC: 34 Ebola Contacts Have Completed 21-day Follow-up — 28 Still Under Monitoring

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says it is still monitoring 28 out of the 62 contacts linked to an imported Ebola case.

In a national health security update released on Tuesday, Jide Idris, NCDC director-general, said the remaining 34 contacts had completed their 21-day follow-up.

Idris said the agency activated measures to contain the disease in a coordinated response with the federal ministry of health and social welfare, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration, state authorities and partners.

He said the response included contact tracing, investigation of reported alerts, laboratory testing, infection prevention, safe clinical care and surveillance at points of entry.

“As of 9 November 2026, Nigeria had confirmed only one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, with no additional confirmed cases,” he said.

“We continue to investigate reported alerts and maintain heightened surveillance across the country to ensure that suspected cases are promptly identified and investigated.

“A total of 62 contacts have been identified. Of these, 34 have completed their individual 21-day follow-up, while the remaining 28 are still under monitoring.”

Idris said the agency was investigating reported alerts and maintaining heightened surveillance across the country to ensure suspected cases were promptly identified and investigated.

He explained that being identified as a contact did not mean a person has contracted the virus.

According to him, the 21-day follow-up period enables health teams to identify symptoms early and respond appropriately.

Idris also noted that the 21-day monitoring period for individual contacts should not be confused with the number of days since the first case was confirmed.

BACK STORY

Earlier in November, NCDC said it expected to complete monitoring of the 62 contacts traced to an imported Ebola case by November 13.

“Contacts are expected to complete follow-up by November. Expected completion dates range from 31 Oct to 13 Nov 2026,” the agency said.

In October, the federal government announced a confirmed case of Ebola disease in the FCT.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said 44 close contacts were identified for tracing to prevent further transmission.

According to the minister, the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.

Nigeria’s index Ebola case was later evacuated to Switzerland for further treatment.

On October 31, the NCDC announced that two suspected cases of Ebola disease have been identified in the north-east.