WHO Advises Against Travel, Trade Restrictions As Nigeria Confirms Ebola Case

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions on countries affected by Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease, following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The global health agency said it was closely monitoring the situation and would continue to verify travel and trade measures introduced in response to the outbreak, while regularly reassessing its risk assessment as new developments emerge.

Nigeria confirmed one case of the disease on October 20, making it the fifth country to detect the virus since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on May 15, 2026.

According to WHO, the patient is a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda. Her symptoms began on October 7, four days after arriving in Nigeria, and she sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11. Laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.

The woman is currently in isolation and receiving medical care, while 44 contacts have been identified and are being monitored. Investigations are ongoing to establish the likely source of infection and reconstruct her full travel and exposure history.

WHO said it was working with Nigerian health authorities and partners to strengthen response measures, including case investigation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and the provision of essential supplies such as personal protective equipment for health workers.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated its incident management system to coordinate the response, while infection prevention and control measures are being strengthened at the private health facility where the patient initially sought care.

The agency also urged countries across the region to sustain high levels of preparedness as the outbreak continues to evolve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It disclosed that Kenya had recorded nine cases linked to an imported infection in recent weeks.

WHO called on countries to strengthen disease surveillance, investigate alerts promptly, ensure laboratories can safely test suspected cases and keep rapid response and clinical teams ready for immediate deployment.

It also urged authorities to reinforce infection prevention and control in public and private health facilities, stock essential medical supplies, engage communities and heighten monitoring at points of entry.

The agency stressed that sustained preparedness was essential to preventing further transmission, noting that **“**Sustained readiness is essential to detect cases early, prevent onward transmission and protect health workers and communities.”