Nigeria confirms Ebola case as Morocco urged to strengthen surveillance

Nigeria confirms Ebola case as Morocco urged to strengthen surveillance
AFP
Thursday 22 October 2026 - 10:02

Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case in the current African outbreak, prompting Moroccan health expert Tayeb Hamdi to call for stronger surveillance and hospital preparedness as the virus spreads beyond Central Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said a woman who recently travelled through Uganda tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain on October 20, after developing symptoms on October 7 and seeking treatment at a private hospital in Abuja four days later.

The patient remains isolated, with Nigerian authorities monitoring 44 identified contacts.

Africa CDC announced Wednesday that African health ministers would meet virtually on October 28 to coordinate their response to the outbreak, which began in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May and has since reached several other countries, including Kenya.

Speaking to Hespress, Hamdi said the immediate risk to Morocco remained low but called for stronger screening preparedness, trained medical teams and clear hospital procedures for suspected cases.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids rather than ordinary airborne transmission, making early detection and isolation essential to preventing further infections.

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