Fresh facts have emerged regarding the travel itinerary of the confirmed Ebola virus patient in Nigeria, revealing that the index case entered the country aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight earlier this month.
A high-ranking aviation official confirmed that the patient landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on October 3, 2026, aboard Flight ET333.
An emergency meeting of health ministry officials disclosed that the index case carries the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which the World Health Organization notes has no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The patient, identified as a diplomat, reportedly travelled to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for business, transited through Uganda, and later deteriorated into multi-organ failure after seeking care at a private hospital in Abuja.
In response to the development, the Ugandan government has asked Nigeria to provide detailed travel and clinical records of the woman.
The Director-General of Health Services in Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Prof. Charles Olaro, insisted that her transit through Uganda does not establish that she contracted the virus there, emphasizing that Uganda currently has no active Ebola cases.
Meanwhile, a multi-agency operation involving the Federal Ministry of Health, the NCDC, and the FCT Health and Environmental Services Secretariat has commenced extensive contact-tracing.
Public health authorities have identified 44 close contacts—including healthcare personnel, fellow patients, and caregivers—while health institutions and port health units nationwide have been placed on high alert.
The National Assembly has stepped up pressure on the executive branch, with both the Senate and the House of Representatives urging the Federal Government to urgently release emergency funds to relevant health agencies.
Lawmakers demanded mandatory health screening for all arriving passengers at international airports, seaports, and land borders, alongside the full equipping of entry points with thermal scanners and isolation rooms across all 36 states and the FCT.
Meanwhile, political figures have also weighed in on the health emergency, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar challenging President Bola Tinubu to account for ₦10 billion previously announced for Ebola preparedness.
Through a statement by his campaign communication team, Atiku alleged that the confirmed case exposed serious gaps in surveillance and protection for frontline health workers, demanding a public audit of the emergency funds.
