The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced that two suspected Ebola cases identified in Yola, Adamawa State, tested negative following two rounds of laboratory testing.
The development comes amid heightened public health surveillance following Nigeria’s first imported case of Ebola virus disease, which was confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in October 2026.
In an update released on Sunday, NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, said laboratory tests on the two suspected cases returned negative results, confirming that there was no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa State.
He added that the previously confirmed case in the FCT remained Nigeria’s only confirmed case at the time of the announcement.
The agency had earlier disclosed that two individuals in the North-East region were suspected of having the disease. Both were isolated while health authorities conducted laboratory investigations and identified people who might have come into contact with them.
Idris commended the Adamawa State Government for its prompt response and urged Nigerians to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and follow public health guidance.
He also encouraged residents to maintain proper hand hygiene and improve sanitation practices as the agency continues to monitor the situation.
The suspected cases emerged less than two weeks after the Federal Government confirmed an imported Ebola infection involving a woman who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria. The patient was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain after developing symptoms and seeking medical attention in Abuja.
Following confirmation of the infection, health authorities identified dozens of contacts, including healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and other individuals who might have been exposed to the virus. The contacts were placed under surveillance to prevent possible community transmission.
The infected woman was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland on October 26, alongside her husband, who was reportedly asymptomatic at the time.
The World Health Organisation has indicated that Nigeria must complete the prescribed 42-day monitoring period, following the relevant surveillance protocols, before the country can be declared free of the outbreak.
The Federal Government had also announced financial support for contacts of the confirmed case to encourage compliance with monitoring and quarantine requirements.
The NCDC reiterated that suspected cases do not constitute confirmed infections and that laboratory results remain essential in establishing a diagnosis.
The agency said it would continue surveillance and provide further updates as verified information becomes available.
