Uganda has said it has no confirmed active Ebola cases after Nigeria reported an infection involving a woman who recently travelled from the East African country to Abuja.
Nigeria’s Federal Government confirmed the case on October 20, 2026, following laboratory tests.
The patient, who was admitted to a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said the government had directed public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain alert, promptly isolate suspected cases and report them to public health authorities.
In a statement following Nigeria’s announcement, Charles Olaro, Uganda’s Director-General of Health Services, clarified that the woman is Nigerian and had travelled to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for business before transiting through Uganda in early October.
According to Olaro, she showed no symptoms while in Uganda but developed them after arriving in Nigeria.
“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. The location of exposure remains under investigation,” the Ugandan health ministry said.
The ministry added that Nigeria had yet to provide detailed information about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history, which could help investigators establish where she was exposed and guide contact tracing.
“We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active Ebola cases,” the statement said.
Uganda also said it would strengthen screening and public health controls at its points of entry, while maintaining limited provisions for humanitarian and diplomatic movement.
How Ebola spreads
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause serious illness and death. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the average case fatality rate across Ebola outbreaks is about 50 per cent, although it varies depending on the outbreak, the virus and access to medical care.
The virus does not spread through the air in the same way as infections transmitted through ordinary breathing in shared indoor spaces.
Instead, transmission occurs mainly through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or someone who has died from the disease.
The virus can enter the body through broken skin or the eyes, nose and mouth. Contact with contaminated clothing, bedding and medical equipment can also lead to infection.
People may become infected through contact with infected animals, particularly when handling sick or dead wildlife or consuming contaminated animal products.
Traditional burial practices involving direct contact with the body of someone who died from Ebola can also increase the risk of transmission.
Healthcare workers and family members caring for infected patients face a higher risk when appropriate protective measures are not used.
Ebola symptoms and incubation period
The WHO says people infected with Ebola do not transmit the virus before symptoms develop. Once symptoms begin, they can spread the infection while the virus remains in their blood.
The incubation period, which is the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms, ranges from two to 21 days.
Nigeria’s health authorities have urged healthcare facilities to maintain a high level of suspicion, follow infection prevention and control procedures, isolate suspected cases promptly and report them to public health officials.
Investigations into the Abuja case are ongoing, and authorities are expected to provide further information as it becomes available.
