Nigeria's first Ebola case in over a decade probed for Uganda airport link

Health officials are investigating whether Nigeria's first Ebola case in more than a decade and Kenya's first case may have come into contact with each other at an airport in Uganda. Nigeria announced its first case of the current outbreak on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, making it the fourth African country affected and the first in West Africa.

Key facts

• Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on 20 October 2026.
• The patient is the Ugandan-born wife of a diplomat based in Abuja, who had holidayed in Uganda in September and returned to Nigeria earlier in October.
• She is receiving treatment, and 44 close contacts have been quarantined.
• Nigeria is the fourth African country to record a case in this outbreak and the first in West Africa.
• Kenya has confirmed nine cases since early October; its first patient has died.
• Congo's outbreak, which began in May, has killed at least 4,600 people and infected about 9,700.

What is known about the Nigeria case?

Nigerian health authorities said the patient is the Ugandan-born wife of a diplomat based in Abuja. She had vacationed in Uganda in September and returned to Nigeria earlier this month.

She is being treated, and 44 people who had close contact with her have been quarantined, said Dr. Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), at a press briefing on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Authorities are still investigating the source of her exposure.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is the furthest from the outbreak's epicentre in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Could the Nigeria and Kenya cases be linked?

Officials are examining whether the woman may have crossed paths with Kenya's first Ebola patient at Entebbe International Airport in Uganda, because both were there on the same day. Dr. Mankoula said the center was probing whether there had been "some sort of interaction between the two cases at the airport."

Kenya's first patient, who has since died, travelled from Congo to Kenya via Uganda. That case was recorded in early October and eight further cases have been confirmed in Kenya since.

How far has the outbreak spread?

Congo's current outbreak began in May in the east of the country and has become the fastest spreading on record, with at least 4,600 deaths and about 9,700 infections there. Neighbouring Uganda initially recorded about 20 cases but was declared Ebola-free in August.

How is Ebola transmitted?

Ebola spreads through direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids or with contaminated items. It causes severe fever and can be deadly, but people are generally not considered infectious until they start showing symptoms.

What this means for travellers

Cases in this outbreak have now been recorded in Congo, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria, so travellers moving between those countries should be aware of the situation on the ground. No new entry requirements, screening measures or travel restrictions are mentioned in the information available.

Investigations continue into how the Nigerian patient was exposed and whether the Entebbe airport connection is behind the two cases.