The Federal Government has confirmed that genomic sequencing conducted on Nigeria’s Ebola Virus Disease case in the Federal Capital Territory shows the pathogen is genetically linked to the strain identified in a recent infection in Kenya.
In an update released on Friday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate explained that while the findings provide critical scientific intelligence, comprehensive field investigations are still underway to determine whether an epidemiological transmission link connects both cases.
The genomic analysis was jointly carried out by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) at Redeemer’s University in Ede, Osun State, under the leadership of Professor Christian Happi. Commending the research teams for their rapid turnaround, Prof. Pate cautioned that genetic similarity alone does not establish direct person-to-person transmission between the two patients.
Public health teams continue to place all identified contacts of the confirmed index patient under active surveillance. Authorities confirmed that several contacts have tested negative for the viral haemorrhagic pathogen, while laboratory results for others remain pending.
In response to the case, the Federal Government has intensified national surveillance protocols, enhanced reference laboratory capacities, scaled up infection prevention and control (IPC) standards, and bolstered clinical case management. Healthcare institutions nationwide have been placed on alert to isolate and report any suspected viral haemorrhagic fever symptoms immediately, with ongoing refresher training provided to frontline health workers.
To keep the public informed and counter misinformation, the Director General of the NCDC announced that the agency will begin issuing daily public health situational updates starting Saturday, 24 October 2026. Prof. Pate urged Nigerians to maintain calm, adhere strictly to recommended hygiene measures, and rely exclusively on verified reports released by official channels, including the NCDC, the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
