No Confirmed Ebola Case in Nigeria, NCDC Says as Kenya Records Imported Infection.

Health authorities urge vigilance after Kenya reports Bundibugyo virus case linked to Congo outbreak.

By Newscall Media | October 8, 2026

Nigeria has no confirmed case of Ebola disease, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has said, while urging Nigerians to remain vigilant following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in neighbouring Kenya.

The NCDC said it was reviewing Nigeria's preparedness measures after Kenya confirmed a case of Bundibugyo virus disease, linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kenya case raises regional concern

The Kenyan case involved a citizen who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The patient travelled by road to Kampala, Uganda, before flying to Nairobi.

After arriving in Nairobi, the patient was isolated and tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus.

Despite receiving medical care, the patient died.

Kenyan authorities immediately began contact tracing.

The development raised concern across East Africa because the individual had travelled through more than one country.

Nigeria remains Ebola-free

The NCDC emphasised that Nigeria has no confirmed Ebola case as of October 6.

The agency said it had been monitoring developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya.

Nigeria has experience dealing with Ebola after the virus entered the country during the 2014 outbreak.

That experience has influenced the country's current preparedness systems.

Preparedness measures

The NCDC said Nigeria has strengthened systems for early detection, isolation, laboratory testing and contact tracing.

The country has also conducted preparedness exercises designed to test the response capacity of health authorities.

Healthcare workers have been advised to maintain a high level of suspicion when treating patients with compatible symptoms and relevant travel history.

What is Ebola?

Ebola is a serious viral disease that can cause severe illness and death.

Symptoms may include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

As the disease progresses, some patients can develop vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and, in severe cases, bleeding.

Importantly, early symptoms can resemble other common illnesses.

That makes accurate travel and exposure history particularly important.

How Transmission Occurs

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected person or someone who has died from the disease.

People can also become infected through contact with contaminated materials.

This is why healthcare workers require appropriate protective equipment when treating suspected cases.

NCDC advice to Nigerians

The NCDC has advised Nigerians to practise regular hand hygiene.

People should avoid direct contact with blood or body fluids from sick individuals.

The agency has also advised people to avoid contact with dead bodies when the cause of death is unknown.

People who become unwell after travelling to an affected area or having contact with a suspected case should seek medical attention promptly.

Travel And Surveillance

Travellers returning from affected areas have been advised to monitor their health for 21 days.

Healthcare workers have also been told not to wait until a patient begins bleeding before considering Ebola where there is a compatible history.

This is important because early detection can improve the chances of controlling transmission.

Regional outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing a major Bundibugyo virus outbreak.

The World Health Organisation reported more than 8,600 confirmed cases and over 4,100 confirmed deaths by October 7, while noting that transmission is declining in some areas but continuing in others.

World Health Organization

Kenya's imported case therefore demonstrates the difficulty of controlling infectious diseases across borders.

Conclusion

The latest development should not create panic in Nigeria.

There is currently no confirmed Ebola case in the country.

However, vigilance is necessary.

Nigeria's experience in 2014 demonstrated the importance of rapid detection and coordinated response.

The message from health authorities is therefore simple: no confirmed Ebola case has been reported in Nigeria, but preparedness and vigilance must remain high.