A woman with a recent travel history to Uganda has tested positive for Bundibugyo virus in Abuja, prompting the monitoring of 44 contacts as investigators trace where she became infected.
A woman who arrived in Nigeria on 3 October developed symptoms four days later, sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja and was confirmed to have Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on 20 October.
That sequence, outlined in a World Health Organization announcement, provides the clearest account so far of how the imported case reached Nigeria. The patient is now in isolation and receiving medical care, while authorities investigate her movements and possible exposures.
Her recent travel history includes Uganda, but investigators have not established where she contracted the virus. Nigeria is the fifth country to detect Bundibugyo virus since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 15 May 2026.
Uganda’s health ministry has provided additional details, saying the woman had visited eastern DR Congo for business and transited through Uganda before travelling to Nigeria. In a statement reported by Reuters, the ministry said she had no symptoms during transit and that the location of her exposure remained under investigation.
The distinction matters: travelling through a country does not establish that the infection was acquired there.
Why symptoms appeared after arrival
Ebola symptoms can take between two and 21 days to appear after infection. During this incubation period, an infected traveller may cross borders without showing signs of illness.
According to WHO’s guidance on Bundibugyo virus disease, people are not infectious until symptoms begin. The Nigerian patient’s reported timeline is therefore consistent with someone travelling during the incubation period, although it cannot establish the exact date or place of infection.
Her symptoms began on 7 October. She sought care on 11 October, and laboratory confirmation followed nine days later.
The WHO announcement does not state when Ebola was first suspected, when samples were collected or when isolation began. Those missing details mean the interval between her first hospital visit and confirmation cannot, by itself, explain where any delay occurred.
Early recognition can be difficult. Fever, fatigue, headache and muscle pain can resemble malaria and other common infections. Laboratory testing is needed to confirm Ebola.
What the 44 contacts mean
Health authorities have identified 44 contacts and are monitoring them, while searching for other people who may have been exposed. Being listed as a contact does not mean a person has Ebola.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected blood or other body fluids, including through contaminated materials. Health workers and people providing close personal care can face particular risks when protective measures are inadequate. WHO recommends monitoring contacts for 21 days after their last exposure.
In Abuja, infection prevention and control measures are being strengthened at the private facility where the woman sought treatment. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has activated its incident management system, with WHO and partners supporting case investigation, contact tracing and supplies of protective equipment.
Bundibugyo is one of the viruses that cause Ebola disease. There is currently no licensed vaccine specifically against it. WHO says protection from Ervebo, the vaccine licensed against another Ebola virus, has not been established in humans for Bundibugyo disease.
WHO’s Nigeria announcement also reports nine cases in Kenya linked to an imported infection. It urges countries to strengthen surveillance, laboratory testing and readiness in public and private facilities, while advising against restrictions on travel or trade with affected countries.