Ebola Outbreak FG Places 46 Exposed Persons On 21-Day No-Fly List
The Federal Government has directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to notify local and international airlines to place 46 persons who had contact with Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient on a no-fly list for 21 days as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, gave the directive on Wednesday after a virtual meeting with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, to discuss containment measures following the confirmation of Nigeria’s first Ebola case since 2014.
Keyamo disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the directive was based on information provided by Pate regarding individuals identified during investigations into the confirmed case.
The patient was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus disease after laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20, 2026.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the woman recently travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, with symptoms reportedly beginning on October 7, four days after her arrival. She sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.
Reports from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) indicated that she was initially treated for malaria-like symptoms, but her condition failed to improve. Her travel history subsequently raised suspicions among attending doctors, prompting further investigations and laboratory testing.
The Director of Public Health Laboratory Services at the NCDC, Olajumoke Babatunde, confirmed the strain during an emergency incident management meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
“We did three levels of tests, but all were molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo,” Babatunde said.
An official at the meeting reportedly disclosed that the patient was a diplomat whose condition had deteriorated into multi-organ failure. Her nationality has not been officially disclosed.
Pate had earlier confirmed that the patient was in isolation and receiving medical care, while health authorities intensified contact tracing and other containment measures.
Explaining the aviation restrictions, Keyamo said the health minister provided details of 46 people who had contact with the patient.
“He shared with me a list of 44 persons with whom the affected person came in contact at the hospital when she had developed the symptoms and an additional two persons who are her domestic staff,” the minister said.
He explained that arrangements were being made to isolate the identified contacts until health authorities could determine whether they had contracted the virus.
“Whilst efforts are ongoing to isolate them for now until there is certainty they had not been infected with the virus, the aviation authorities are required to put them on a no-fly list for at least 21 days,” Keyamo stated.
He added, “I have therefore directed the NCAA to immediately inform all local and international airlines of this development.”
The minister also directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to strengthen Ebola surveillance and response measures at all international airports across the country.
According to him, the measures include enhanced health screenings, temperature checks, travel history tracking, digital health declarations and closer coordination among relevant agencies, including the NCDC.
The WHO confirmed that the patient was infected with the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. The organisation said investigations were ongoing to establish the likely source of infection and reconstruct the patient’s travel and exposure history.
The WHO and its partners are supporting Nigerian health authorities with case investigations, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, as well as the provision of essential supplies, including personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.
The organisation has also urged countries in the region to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory testing, rapid-response capacity and monitoring at points of entry.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is symptomatic, or through contact with contaminated materials. Its incubation period ranges from two to 21 days, making the identification and monitoring of exposed persons critical to containing transmission.
Nigeria’s latest confirmed case has renewed concerns about cross-border transmission amid the outbreak in parts of Africa. Health authorities are continuing efforts to identify and monitor contacts, strengthen infection prevention measures at healthcare facilities and maintain heightened surveillance at airports and other points of entry.
Nigeria previously contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller introduced the virus into the country. The response involved isolation, contact tracing and coordinated action by public health authorities.
For the current outbreak, the immediate priorities include monitoring the 46 identified contacts, preventing further exposure in healthcare settings and strengthening surveillance to ensure that any additional cases are detected and managed promptly.