Nigeria's only confirmed Ebola patient has deteriorated into multi-organ failure, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed on Wednesday at an emergency incident management meeting in Abuja, Economy Post and Pendulum Media reported. Olajumoke Babatunde, the NCDC's Director of Public Health Laboratory Services, said three levels of molecular testing had confirmed the infection was the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, and said: "The patient's condition has deteriorated. We did three levels of tests, but all were molecular. The strain was Bundibugyo." The World Health Organization (WHO) has also confirmed the strain, both outlets reported. There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola.

The patient is a woman diplomat who arrived in Abuja from Uganda on October 3, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought care at a private hospital in the Federal Capital Territory on October 11, where she was first treated for symptoms resembling malaria, health officials said, according to the same reports and UN News. Laboratory testing confirmed Ebola on October 20 and she remains in isolation receiving medical care. Nigeria's Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, said the NCDC was working with the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other authorities to contain the infection, Economy Post reported.

Health authorities have identified 44 close contacts who are being monitored, including healthcare workers, other patients, caregivers and travel contacts, the NCDC said. Infection prevention and control measures have been stepped up at the private facility where she sought care, and the NCDC has activated its incident management system, WHO said in its account published by UN News on October 21. WHO advised against restrictions on travel to, or trade with, affected countries, and said rapid identification of cases, timely follow-up of contacts and effective infection control are critical to containing the virus.

Nigeria is the fifth country to detect Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in mid-May, WHO said via UN News. More than 9,500 cases and more than 4,200 deaths had been recorded as of October 18, according to Congolese health authorities cited by WHO. Uganda's outbreak was declared over in late August, while nine cases have been reported in Kenya and one in the Netherlands linked to the DRC outbreak, WHO said. Officials have not established where the Abuja patient was infected, and investigations into her travel and exposure history are continuing. Sources: UN News / WHO (Oct 21, 2026); Economy Post reporting the NCDC emergency meeting (Oct 21, 2026); Pendulum Media (Oct 21, 2026).