Nigeria has reached a significant milestone in its response to an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, with all 62 identified contacts completing 21 days of monitoring without any evidence of secondary transmission.
The development was announced by World Health Organization Director- General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who praised the Nigerian government, health workers and emergency responders for containing the threat.
My congratulations to the government, health workers and responders for their success in preventing the spread of the Bundibugyo virus,” Tedros said.
Nigeria confirmed the imported case in Abuja on October 20 after a woman who had travelled from Uganda developed symptoms on October 7.
She sought medical care four days later and tested positive for Bundibugyo virus. The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland for treatment, along with a close contact.
Health authorities initially identified 44 contacts, but the number later rose to 62 as investigators reconstructed the patient’s movements and exposure history.
Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention activated its incident- management system, while WHO, Africa CDC and other partners supported contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, airport screening and the distribution of protective equipment.
The completion of the 21-day monitoring period is important because Ebola symptoms commonly emerge within that surveillance window after exposure.
However, authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance as Nigeria moves through the second half of the 42-day period used to assess whether transmission has been interrupted.
The Nigerian milestone comes as Bundibugyo virus disease continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where thousands of cases and deaths have been reported.
Kenya, another country affected by an imported case, recorded secondary transmission linked to a single cluster, underscoring the importance of rapid isolation, rigorous contact tracing and strong infection-control measures.
WHO continues to advise affected countries to strengthen surveillance, laboratory capacity, preparedness at points of entry and infection prevention in health facilities. It has not recommended travel or trade restrictions linked to the outbreak.