US Embassy Issues Ebola Health Alert to Americans in Nigeria as 44 Contacts Come Under Surveillance

The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a health advisory to American citizens residing in or travelling through the country following the confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a rare form of Ebola, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The advisory, published on October 21, 2026, followed the Nigerian government’s confirmation of the infection a day earlier. The development has heightened public health vigilance as Nigerian authorities intensify efforts to identify and monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the infected individual is a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda. She developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said the patient had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care. Authorities have also commenced contact tracing, with 44 people identified for monitoring as health officials work to determine the extent of possible exposure and prevent further transmission.

In its advisory, the US Mission noted that Nigerian health officials were conducting contact tracing following the reported case. It urged American citizens to consult the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for reliable information on Ebola and relevant travel health guidance for Nigeria.

The embassy also advised anyone who may have been exposed to the virus and subsequently developed symptoms consistent with Ebola to contact a healthcare provider for guidance before presenting for treatment. The precaution is intended to facilitate appropriate medical assessment while reducing the risk of exposing other patients and healthcare personnel.

The advisory further reminded American travellers to continue taking malaria-prevention medication as prescribed by their doctors. It warned that some symptoms of malaria may resemble those associated with Ebola, making professional medical assessment important when illness develops after potential exposure.

Travellers were also advised to monitor their health for 21 days after visiting an area experiencing an Ebola outbreak, consult the US Embassy’s Nigeria country information page, and identify available medical providers. The mission additionally encouraged Americans to check their travel insurance policies for medical evacuation arrangements in the event of serious illness abroad.

Bundibugyo virus disease is a severe infectious illness caused by the Bundibugyo species of orthoebolavirus. The infection can cause fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, bleeding. Because these symptoms can overlap with other illnesses, suspected cases require prompt professional assessment and appropriate infection-control precautions.

Nigeria’s confirmed case is linked to a wider regional health concern following an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2026. The WHO said Nigeria had become the fifth country to detect the virus since the outbreak was declared. The international response has focused on surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing, infection prevention and the protection of healthcare workers.

The Nigerian government has urged public and private healthcare facilities to remain vigilant, promptly isolate suspected cases and report them to the relevant public health authorities. With contact tracing and other containment measures under way, the priority remains preventing additional infections through early detection, accurate public information and strict adherence to infection-prevention guidelines.