Ebola: 34 contacts discharged as NCDC continues monitoring 28 others

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has disclosed that 34 people linked to the country's imported Ebola case have completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period and been discharged, while 28 others remain under surveillance.

The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, made this known in the agency’s national health security update released on Tuesday, November 10.

Idris said Nigeria was intensifying its response to the outbreak through joint efforts involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCT Administration, state authorities and development partners.

He explained that the measures include contact tracing, investigation of reported cases, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, safe patient care and increased surveillance at the country's entry points.

According to him, Nigeria had confirmed only one imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease as of November 9, 2026, with no additional confirmed cases.

He said, “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.”

The NCDC chief stressed that being identified as a contact did not necessarily mean that an individual had contracted the virus.

He explained that the 21-day monitoring period was designed to detect potential symptoms early and ensure that anyone who develops symptoms receives prompt medical attention.

Idris also cautioned against confusing the 21-day surveillance period for individual contacts with the total number of days since the index case was confirmed.