The agency disclosed this in its latest Ebola Disease Situation Report obtained by Channels Television, noting that the contacts were scheduled to complete their follow-up at different times between October 31 and November 13.
Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola disease in the current outbreak on October 20, after laboratory tests detected the Bundibugyo virus in a woman who had travelled from Uganda.
According to the NCDC, contact tracing and monitoring activities are ongoing, with additional contact tracers mapped and trained to strengthen surveillance.
The agency also said it planned to engage and assess additional contacts for possible evacuation to a quarantine facility, while continuing follow-up for individuals already in quarantine.
17 Ebola Samples Test Negative
The NCDC reported that 18 samples had been tested since the outbreak was confirmed, with one positive result and 17 negative results.
The positive sample came from the confirmed case, while the negative results comprised 15 samples collected from contacts of the patient and two from suspected cases.
The agency said phylogenetic sequencing had been completed by the NCDC National Reference Laboratory and the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID).
It added that the scope and strategy for identifying contacts had been reviewed and expanded, alongside updates to case definitions to improve the identification and management of suspected infections.
The agency also plans to review guidelines covering contact tracing, self-quarantine, self-care kits and Ebola call protocols. It is developing an Ebola disease dashboard on the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) to improve contact management.
NCDC Strengthens Isolation and Treatment Preparedness
The agency said the National Incident Management System had been activated under the leadership of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
It added that a high-level stakeholder meeting had been held with partner agencies to strengthen coordination, resource mobilisation and accountability in the response.
On laboratory preparedness, the NCDC said it would maintain uninterrupted Ebola testing and confirmation at its National Reference Laboratory, while working to expand testing capacity to Lagos.
It also plans to pre-position additional laboratory reagents and other commodities across the national laboratory network.
The agency disclosed that an inspection and assessment of the isolation centre had been conducted and that the medical evacuation of the confirmed patient had been supervised, with measures taken to protect healthcare workers.
It further said it had engaged the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on its readiness to serve as an isolation and treatment centre. A needs assessment and optimisation of the hospital had been completed.
The FCT team had also been engaged on clinical care and psychosocial support for contacts in quarantine facilities, while a dedicated ambulance had been secured and placed on standby for safe patient referrals.
Healthcare Workers Receive Infection Prevention Training
As part of efforts to prevent further transmission, the NCDC said needs assessments had been conducted across states and health facilities, while healthcare workers were being sensitised on infection prevention and control measures.
The agency also engaged the facility managing the confirmed patient on compliance with standard and transmission-based precautions.
Other activities included refresher training for environmental health officers and terminal cleaning at the patient’s residence.
The NCDC listed plans to implement an infection prevention and control ring strategy across designated areas to strengthen screening and isolation measures. It also plans to assess additional isolation capacity at Karu General Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory.
The agency said it would review and disseminate approved procedures covering triage, isolation, supportive care, psychosocial support and discharge, while establishing referral mechanisms for suspected cases.
Patient Evacuated to Switzerland
According to the World Health Organisation, the patient developed symptoms on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.
Laboratory confirmation followed on October 20, making Nigeria the fifth country to detect the virus since the outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15, 2026.
The confirmed patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 for further medical care, alongside her husband, who was identified as a close contact.
The NCDC says surveillance, contact tracing and preparedness activities will continue as authorities work towards completing the monitoring of the 62 identified contacts by November 13.
