Ebola: FG Tightens Surveillance, Screening, Infected Woman Identified as Swiss Diplomat’s Wife

* Kenya Reports Second Death from the disease * WHO says source of infection remains unknown, calls for regional vigilance * Nigeria’s NCDC begins genomic sequencing *Edo sets up emergency response committee Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja, Ayodeji Ake in Lagos and Felix Omoh-Asun in Benin City, with agency reports The federal government yesterday tightened Ebola control measures across Nigeria, directing ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), public health institutions and other stakeholders to strictly enforce screening, surveillance and other approved entry protocols as Switzerland confirmed that the woman who tested positive for the virus in Nigeria was the wife of a Swiss diplomat. The directive by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare followed concerns raised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) over reported breaches of government-approved Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) entry protocols at Nigeria’s designated points of entry. The ministry’s directive was contained in circular PS/FMOH/08/VIII/48, dated October 22, 2026, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollum S., on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. This comes as Kenya’s Health Ministry yesterday announced a second Ebola death, adding that the 65-year-old woman had developed symptoms during quarantine and was a close relative of a ‌Kenyan man who died of Ebola earlier this month. Also yesterday, Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, established a committee to coordinate the state’s emergency preparedness and response. Swiss Ministry Confirms Diplomat’s Wife Tested Positive Switzerland’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that the woman who tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria was the wife of a Swiss diplomat. The 42-year-old Ugandan-born woman, who lives in Abuja, tested positive on October 20, becoming Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola patient in more than a decade. The couple had travelled to Uganda earlier in October. Her husband is currently in isolation but has not developed symptoms, according to the Swiss Foreign Ministry. The ministry told the BBC that all 25 staff members at its embassy in Nigeria were in good health and did not need to isolate. The decision, taken in consultation with Nigeria’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), covered eight Swiss staff members and 17 local employees. The embassy remains open and operational, with health and safety measures in place. The woman had reportedly spent about a week at a private clinic in Abuja experiencing symptoms before her diagnosis. She returned to Nigeria on October 3 after spending about two and a half weeks in Uganda. She developed symptoms four days after arriving in Abuja and sought treatment at two private health facilities before testing positive on October 20. WHO said the woman was receiving treatment in isolation and showing signs of improvement. Although there were reports that she had travelled to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for business, the WHO, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Nigeria’s health ministry said they had not received verified information confirming that she visited the country. The Swiss government had also told Reuters that she did not travel to DR Congo, contradicting accounts from Uganda. Health officials are investigating whether she may have crossed paths with a Kenyan man who died of Ebola after travelling through Uganda’s main airport on the same day. The Africa CDC said investigators were examining whether the two could have been exposed through shared equipment or other contact. The agency’s Head of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Dr. Wessam Mankoula, described this as one of the possible scenarios but stressed that no link had been established. The Kenyan man had travelled from DR Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi on October 3. He subsequently died, becoming Kenya’s first recorded Ebola fatality. Kenya has since confirmed nine cases and traced 135 contacts, all of whom were placed in quarantine. Ebola has infected nearly 10,000 people and killed more than 4,600 in Congo. The disease can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe ⁠cases, internal and external bleeding. Only people with symptoms can transmit the virus. The rare Ebola species behind the current outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine. WHO said it was too early to determine where the woman in Nigeria contracted the virus. “The source of exposure is still not known. The travel history of the patient is still being pieced together,” said Dr Patrick Otim, a WHO emergency response official. He said investigators had struggled to obtain a complete account of her movements because opportunities to interview her were limited while she remained in hospital. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) is conducting genomic sequencing to help establish whether her infection is linked to other cases. However, the woman has been confirmed to have the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, the same species responsible for the outbreak in DR Congo. “The investigation is reconstructing the full travel and exposure history. Genomic sequencing is given a high priority,” said Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO’s representative in Nigeria. Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities are tracing additional people who may have been exposed to the woman beyond the 44 contacts initially identified. Kenya’s Director-General of Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, said all nine confirmed infections in his country were linked to the first patient, with no evidence of wider community transmission. He urged the public to remain vigilant without panicking, while warning that the country was not yet out of danger. He added that the eight surviving patients remained in isolation and were responding well to treatment. The developments have renewed concerns about the movement of infected people across international borders, particularly between DR Congo and neighbouring Uganda, where thousands of people cross daily for trade, work and family visits. WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, called for regional vigilance and urged countries to strengthen surveillance, investigate infections and protect frontline health workers. Ebola is a serious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or contaminated objects. It does not spread through the air like influenza. Symptoms can include fever, severe weakness, vomiting and diarrhoea, and the disease can be fatal. People are not considered infectious before developing symptoms. Health authorities say rapid contact tracing, isolation of suspected cases and early treatment are crucial to preventing further transmission. FG Orders Strict Compliance with Ebola Protocols In the circular, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare directed relevant institutions to ensure strict adherence to approved EVD screening, health declaration, surveillance and other applicable entry requirements at all designated points of entry into Nigeria. According to a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, the directive followed concerns communicated to the Coordinating Minister by ONSA over reported non-compliance with government-approved protocols. The ministry emphasised the need for consistent, effective and non-discriminatory enforcement of the measures to mitigate potential cross-border transmission and protect public health and national security. It also called for stronger coordination, communication and information-sharing among stakeholders to support effective surveillance, early detection and prompt responses to potential threats. “All concerned institutions have been urged to promptly document and report any actual or attempted breach of approved protocols through established channels, provide necessary support to officials responsible for enforcement, and establish effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms to sustain compliance,” the statement said. The ministry stressed that personnel responsible for enforcing the protocols should be allowed to perform their duties professionally and without undue interference. It also directed the immediate and widespread dissemination of public advisories to relevant departments, units, field offices and personnel to ensure that they understood their responsibilities. “All concerned MDAs are expected to accord the directive the highest priority, address identified lapses promptly and sustain compliance with approved EVD entry protocols in the collective interest of public health and national safety,” the statement added. The directive comes amid efforts to contain the confirmed Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory, with the government intensifying surveillance at airports, seaports and land borders. Kenya Reports Second Death from Ebola Kenya has recorded a second Ebola death, the health ministry said yesterday, adding that the 65-year-old woman had developed symptoms during quarantine and was a close relative of a ‌Kenyan man who died of Ebola earlier this month. The outbreak, which started in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has now been reported in four countries across eastern, central andwestern Africa, giving it the widest geographic spread of any Ebola outbreak on the continent to date. The Ebola victim who died yesterday, was a direct contact of the index patient, Reuters quoted the Kenyan ministry to have revealed. “This loss brings the number of deaths to two among the nine confirmed cases. The remaining seven patients continue to receive care in the ‌two ⁠isolation facilities,” the ministry said, adding there was no evidence of community spread in the country. Late on Monday, the US State Department advised Americans to reconsider travel to Kenya and raised its travel advisory level for the countrybecause of health risks. Edo Sets Up Ebola Emergency Response Committee Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has established a committee on Ebola emergency preparedness and response. The committee is chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, according to a statement issued yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Dr Patrick Ebojele. The committee is expected to coordinate the state’s preparedness and response to any Ebola threat. Its members are drawn from the state ministries responsible for health, environment, livestock, local government, finance, and information and communication; the Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Health; the governor’s Special Adviser on Health; the State Emergency Management Agency; the Department of Port Health; and the National Orientation Agency. Other members include personnel from the Department of State Services, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The committee also includes representatives of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Uselu, Edo Specialist Hospital, Central Hospital in Benin City and Stella Obasanjo Hospital. Professional bodies represented include the Nigeria Medical Association, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, and the Edo State chapter of the Association of Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria. Other members include a traditional ruler, a leader of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Edo State, the state’s Chief Imam and a market women’s leader. Development partners and agencies represented on the committee include the WHO, UNICEF, Nigeria Red Cross Society, DataFi, National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency. The committee will operate through the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, which has designated areas of responsibility covering coordination, epidemiology, surveillance, infection prevention and control, risk communication, logistics, laboratory services, case management, and safe and dignified burial. A centre manager will oversee operations. The statement added that a stakeholders’ meeting would be scheduled for the committee.