The Federal Government and state governments have stepped up surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response measures following reports that a diplomat diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola in Abuja has suffered a deterioration in health, reportedly progressing to multiple organ failure.
Authorities have not disclosed the patient's identity or nationality.
Olajumoke Babatunde, Director of Public Health Laboratory Service at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), disclosed the development at an emergency meeting of the agency in Abuja on Wednesday.
Babatunde said laboratory investigations confirmed that the patient was infected with the Bundibugyo strain, which is also responsible for an ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
She explained that three levels of molecular testing were conducted to establish the strain.
“The patient’s condition has deteriorated. We did three levels of tests, but all were molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” she said.
The Bundibugyo virus is a rare member of the Ebola virus group. It was first identified during an outbreak in Uganda in 2007.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated materials. It is not ordinarily spread through casual contact with people who are not showing symptoms.
The reported deterioration of the Abuja patient comes amid growing efforts by federal and state health authorities to identify potential contacts and prevent further transmission.
In Anambra State, authorities said they had monitored 40 persons of interest as part of their response to the outbreak.
As of October 20, 2026, 33 of the individuals had completed their monitoring period and been cleared, while seven remained under active follow-up.
Niger State has also raised its level of preparedness, activating emergency operations and announcing that work on an isolation centre was nearing completion.
Meanwhile, Ogun State is tracing 111 persons of interest as authorities intensify efforts to monitor potential exposure to the virus.
The Federal Government confirmed the Ebola case in Abuja on Tuesday, following the admission of a woman who had recently arrived on an international flight from Uganda into a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.
The woman had reportedly spent several days at the facility before the infection was confirmed.
Following confirmation of the case, the NCDC activated an incident-management response to coordinate containment efforts.
The response includes case management, enhanced disease surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and public risk communication.
The intensified measures are aimed at detecting possible additional cases early, monitoring exposed individuals and limiting the risk of further spread.
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