WHO warns Africa faces ‘complex’ Ebola outbreak as virus reaches Nigeria

Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in over a decade on October 21, 2026, making it the fourth African country affected by the outbreak. The patient is a 42-year-old woman who had recently traveled from Uganda via Ethiopia and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola upon her return to Abuja. She reportedly spent two weeks in Kampala on holiday before returning home.

Health officials have identified 44 people who were in contact with the infected individual, including those who may not have been in close proximity but are being monitored as a precautionary measure. The patient is currently stable and improving at a private hospital in Abuja.

The World Health Organization (WHO) was initially unaware that the woman had traveled to Congo before her trip to Uganda, though Ugandan officials later confirmed this information. Nigeria's health minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, stated that surveillance efforts are now focused on containing the virus within the country.

This development marks the first time the Ebola outbreak has reached West Africa during the current wave, raising concerns about the complexity of managing the spread across multiple regions in Africa. Dr. Jean Kaseya from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the need for urgent action and political leadership to address this growing public health crisis.