Uganda’s Ministry of Health has denied reports of an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the country following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of the virus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Nigeria confirmed the case on Tuesday after laboratory tests detected the Ebola virus in a woman who had recently travelled from East Africa, particularly Uganda.
The development comes amid an ongoing outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola linked to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with infections also reported in other African countries.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, said the patient developed symptoms after returning to the country on October 7, with her condition worsening four days later.
According to the minister, the infection was subsequently confirmed through laboratory testing.
The patient is currently in isolation and receiving medical care, while contact tracing and surveillance measures have been intensified.
The government said 44 contacts had been identified as health authorities worked to prevent further transmission.
“The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital… where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed,” a government statement said.
“She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.”
Uganda Questions Link Between Travel and Exposure
Reacting to the development in a public statement on Tuesday, Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the location where the woman contracted the virus remained under investigation.
The ministry maintained that travelling through Uganda was not sufficient to establish that the infection originated in the country.
It also said the Nigerian government had yet to provide detailed information about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history, which could help guide further investigations and contact tracing.
Uganda added that it was working with relevant agencies to strengthen screening and public health controls at points of entry.
The ministry said limited provisions remained in place for humanitarian and diplomatic movements.
Nigeria Intensifies Ebola Response
Pate said the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the FCT Health Secretariat, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and other partners were coordinating efforts to contain the infection.
He urged public and private health facilities to remain vigilant and maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola cases.
The minister also called on Nigerians to remain calm, practise good hygiene and cooperate with public health officials.
Symptoms of Ebola can include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Pate said the government was drawing on Nigeria’s experience in containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak and the public health systems established since then.
He pledged timely and transparent updates as investigations and containment efforts continued.
Kenya Reports Ninth Ebola Case
Meanwhile, Kenya reported its ninth Ebola case on Tuesday, following the confirmation of its first imported case in early October.
The country’s Ministry of Health said all nine cases belonged to a single known cluster, adding that the eight surviving patients were responding well to supportive care.
The first Kenyan patient had travelled from the DRC through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi, raising concerns about the movement of the virus across national borders.
Uganda also recorded Ebola infections earlier in 2026 but subsequently declared its outbreak over after completing the required period without a new confirmed case.
How Ebola Spreads
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, as well as contaminated materials.
Symptoms may include fever, headache, severe weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Health authorities continue to stress the importance of early detection, prompt medical attention and effective infection prevention measures to limit the spread of the disease.
