The United States Mission in Nigeria has issued a official health advisory to American citizens residing in or traveling through the country, following the Federal Government’s confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, a rare and severe species of Ebola.
​The advisory, released on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, via the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and posted on its official digital platforms, comes after the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare confirmed the single laboratory-detected case on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.
​According to statements from health authorities, the infected individual contracted the virus in Uganda and subsequently traveled by air to Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
​In response, Nigerian public health agencies led by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the FCT Health Services Secretariat, have commenced immediate contact tracing protocols. Authorities confirmed that 44 contacts have been identified and placed under mandatory 21-day health surveillance to contain potential local transmission.
​In its safety alert, the U.S. Mission urged American citizens to monitor their health continuously and review travel guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Individuals who have recently traveled to or through areas experiencing Ebola outbreaks are advised to self-monitor for symptoms for 21 days post-exposure.
Anyone experiencing symptoms consistent with Ebola, such as high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, or unexplained bleeding, must alert their healthcare provider prior to presenting at a medical facility to allow for proper isolation controls.
The U.S. Mission strongly advised citizens to maintain prescribed malaria prophylaxis, noting that early malaria symptoms closely mimic Ebola, which can lead to preventable health scares and medical delays.
Travelers were urged to review their international insurance coverage and verify medical evacuation provisions in the event of severe illness abroad.
​Addressing the outbreak preparedness measures, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President and head of the national Ebola preparedness task force, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to containment, emphasizing strict passenger screening, QR-code health declarations at key entry ports, and activated isolation centers at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja and Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
​The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that the Bundibugyo strain currently lacks a widely distributed approved vaccine, making rapid contact tracing, early supportive medical care, and strict infection control vital to stopping transmission.
