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Nigeria confirms first Ebola case of Africa's latest outbreak as Kenya logs ninth
Nigeria said on Tuesday it had recorded its first Ebola case of Africa's latest outbreak, in a woman who travelled from Uganda to Abuja, while Kenya declared its ninth case the same day.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 20, 2026
• 3 Min Read
A case in Abuja
Nigeria's first Ebola case of the outbreak was detected in a woman who travelled from Uganda to the capital Abuja, the government confirmed. It is the west African country's first registered Ebola case since 2014.
Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said the patient arrived on an international flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed.
She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care,
Pate said. Contact tracing has commenced with 44 close contacts identified presently, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts.
- •The patient arrived on an international flight from Uganda
- •She was treated at a private hospital for several days before diagnosis
- •44 close contacts have been identified so far
Outbreak now the widest in history
Africa CDC director general Jean Kaseya said the outbreak has become the most geographically widespread Ebola outbreak in history, affecting multiple countries across three regions of Africa. He warned of an "extremely serious threat" and urged the international community to send funding, medical supplies and health workers.
The outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May and has since spread to several countries, including Uganda. According to the health authorities, the DRC epidemic has become the deadliest in the country's history, killing 4,381 people out of more than 9,000 confirmed cases.
With mortality approaching 50% in DRC, we face an extremely serious threat,
Kaseya posted on X. He added: "My appeal to the international community is urgent: ACT NOW."
Kenya's ninth case
Kenya reported its first Ebola case on October 6 – a businessman in his forties who had lived in the DRC and died in the capital Nairobi on October 5. Most of the subsequent eight cases were among people closely connected to that first victim.
- •Kenya's ninth case is a 24-year-old man
- •He is described as a close family member of the first case
- •He was confirmed positive on Monday
The health ministry said the ninth patient was already in quarantine when he fell ill. "He was isolated at the first sign of illness, tested and started on treatment immediately," the ministry said.
Travel warnings and Uganda's response
The United States on Tuesday warned its citizens against travel to Kenya due to "health risks". Uganda's Health Ministry said late Tuesday there were no confirmed active Ebola cases in the country, and that travel through Uganda does not establish where the Nigerian patient was infected.
