Nigeria Confirms Its First Ebola Case as Kenya's Count Reaches Nine

Nigeria has confirmed its first case of Ebola in the capital, Abuja. The patient is a woman who travelled from Uganda by air. She developed symptoms on 7 October and was admitted to a private hospital on 11 October, where the infection was diagnosed. Health Minister Muhammad Pate said authorities were tracing 44 contacts.

In Kenya, a ninth case was confirmed — a 24-year-old man who was already in quarantine as a close relative of the country's first patient. That first patient had travelled from the DR Congo via Uganda and died in Nairobi on 5 October.

Kenya's Director-General for Health Patrick Amoth said:

Kenya has not imposed travel, trade or gathering restrictions.

The DR Congo has reported more than 9,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths since May, according to figures cited by Al Jazeera. Europe's disease agency, the ECDC, has described it as the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record. It's caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there is no licensed vaccine or specific treatment — one reason containment is difficult.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with dense cities and major air links. Fast contact tracing in the coming weeks will be critical. For travellers, the advice from health authorities is to follow official guidance and report symptoms such as fever, weakness and bleeding after travel to affected areas.