Ebola: NEMA Urges Nigerians to Remain Calm, Avoid Contact With Suspected Cases

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The agency’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, also advised Nigerians to avoid direct contact with the bodily fluids of people suspected of having the disease and to follow guidance from public health authorities.

Umar said NEMA was prepared to provide emergency coordination and support as required, while the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the FCT health authorities lead the response.

She urged members of the public to practise regular hand hygiene, avoid handling dead wild animals and leave the handling of bodies suspected to be linked to Ebola deaths to trained health personnel.

The agency also called for public cooperation with contact-tracing teams and warned against spreading unverified information or stigmatising people suspected of having the disease.

Nigeria’s health authorities confirmed the imported case on October 20, 2026. According to the World Health Organization, the patient is a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda who developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria.

The woman sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, and laboratory testing confirmed the infection on October 20. She was subsequently placed in isolation and received medical care.

The WHO said 44 contacts had been identified and were being monitored as health authorities intensified efforts to identify others who might have been exposed.

Investigations into the likely source of the infection and the patient’s travel and exposure history were ongoing, according to the organisation.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died, as well as through contaminated materials. People who suspect they have been exposed should seek guidance from public health authorities rather than relying on unverified information.

The NCDC has urged Nigerians to report suspected cases through its 24-hour toll-free line, 6232, and to cooperate with health officials.

Umar also recalled Nigeria’s response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak, when coordinated public health measures helped contain the disease.

The authorities have urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, follow official health advice and cooperate with efforts to prevent further transmission.