Health
WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139
WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139
The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved an additional $3.4 million to strengthen emergency response efforts against the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as the suspected death toll climbed to 139.
The fresh funding raises WHO’s total emergency allocation for the outbreak to $3.9 million, amid growing fears of wider regional spread across Central and East Africa.
Speaking during a media briefing in Geneva on Wednesday, WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the UN health agency has officially classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations.
According to Tedros, the declaration followed consultations with authorities in both countries and was necessary to accelerate global mobilisation, funding, and international coordination to contain the deadly virus.
He explained that WHO decided to act swiftly because any delay could worsen transmission, increase fatalities, and heighten the risk of cross-border infections.
Already, WHO estimates show that nearly 600 suspected Ebola cases have been identified, while the suspected death toll has risen to 139.
Official data from the health agency confirmed that the DRC has recorded 51 laboratory-confirmed Ebola infections, mainly in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, including the cities of Bunia and Goma.
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In neighbouring Uganda, authorities confirmed two infections in Kampala, one of which resulted in death after cross-border transmission linked to the DRC outbreak.
WHO also disclosed that a United States citizen infected while working in the DRC had been evacuated to Germany for specialised treatment.
Health officials warned that the actual scale of the outbreak could be significantly higher because the virus may have circulated undetected for several weeks before confirmation.
The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, first identified in Uganda in 2007. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for the Bundibugyo variant, complicating containment efforts.
Tedros noted that the outbreak has now spread into multiple urban centres, increasing fears of sustained community transmission.
He added that infections among healthcare workers indicate ongoing spread within medical facilities, with several frontline workers reportedly among the fatalities already recorded.
The WHO chief further expressed concern over worsening insecurity and displacement in eastern DRC, particularly in Ituri Province, where renewed violence since late 2025 has displaced more than 100,000 people.
According to him, the movement of displaced persons, cross-border trade, and mining activities are increasing the likelihood of regional transmission.
Concerns deepened after Congolese authorities confirmed a new Ebola case in South Kivu Province, far from the original epicentre of the outbreak, suggesting the virus may already be spreading across wider geographical areas.
International health agencies and humanitarian organisations have also raised alarm over weakened outbreak preparedness caused by years of funding shortages and cuts to foreign aid programmes.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) said scientists are accelerating efforts to develop a vaccine candidate for the Bundibugyo strain, although experts caution that producing an effective vaccine during an active outbreak remains difficult.
Tedros commended the governments of the DRC and Uganda for cooperating with response efforts, including Uganda’s decision to suspend the annual Martyrs’ Day celebrations, which usually attract millions of pilgrims.
WHO said emergency teams, laboratory equipment, medical supplies, and technical experts have already been deployed to affected areas to support surveillance, treatment, contact tracing, and safe burial operations.
While the organisation currently assesses the global risk level as low, it warned that the regional threat remains high and urged neighbouring countries to intensify border surveillance and preparedness measures.
WHO Declares Ebola Emergency In Congo, Uganda As Death Toll Hits 139
Health
WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola-Free, 52 Contacts Remain Under Surveillance
WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola-Free, 52 Contacts Remain Under Surveillance
The World Health Organisation has declared Nigeria free of active Ebola cases after the evacuation of country’s lone confirmed patient to Switzerland.
Health authorities however continue to monitor 52 contacts to prevent a possible spread of the deadly disease.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, announced this in a statement posted on his verified X handle on Monday, confirming that Nigeria would retain responsibility for monitoring 52 contacts, while Switzerland would take over the patient’s continued medical care and follow up with her husband.
Janabi said the patient was clinically stable after Nigerian medical teams successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition before her evacuation.
“Nigeria is now Ebola-free following the evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland,” he said.
He added that Nigeria would maintain close follow-up of the 52 contacts, while Switzerland would assume responsibility for the continued management of the patient and the monitoring of contact number 53, her husband.
The development follows an earlier confirmation by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention that the country had recorded an imported Ebola case involving a patient from Uganda.
Following the confirmation, the NCDC placed 53 contacts under surveillance in Abuja as part of measures to track possible exposure and prevent further transmission.
Although the evacuation of the patient has removed the confirmed case from Nigeria, health authorities are expected to sustain surveillance of the identified contacts in line with established public health protocols.
The monitoring exercise remains critical to ensuring that any potential emergence of symptoms among those exposed is detected promptly and managed appropriately.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal disease that can spread through direct contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person or someone who has died from the disease.
Public health authorities typically rely on early detection, contact tracing, isolation and appropriate medical care to contain outbreaks and prevent further transmission.
With the index patient now receiving continued care in Switzerland, Nigeria’s immediate focus remains on monitoring the 52 contacts and ensuring that the outbreak does not lead to further infections.
Health
NAFDAC Busts Illegal Herbal Factory in Lagos, Arrests Manager Over Fake Registration Number
LAGOS — The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a suspected illegal herbal product manufacturing facility in Agege, Lagos State, and arrested its manager over the alleged use of a falsified registration number on herbal products.
The agency disclosed the development on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, following an investigation triggered by a report published by The Guardian on October 10 concerning herbal products allegedly carrying fake NAFDAC registration numbers.
According to NAFDAC, its investigative team conducted surveillance before discovering three variants of Asheitu Adams Bitters bearing registration number A7-1827L.
However, checks through the agency’s NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) revealed that the registration number belonged to Greentol Cough Syrup, rather than the herbal bitters.
The agency said the discovery confirmed the fraudulent use of the registration number on the products.
During the operation, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer was reportedly absent, while the manager was arrested for further interrogation as investigations continued.
The Sun identified the arrested manager as 39-year-old Abdullazeez Saidu from Kano State. NAFDAC had not announced any court charges against him as of Wednesday.
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The agency urged members of the public to provide credible information about suspected illegal manufacturing activities to help strengthen enforcement efforts and protect consumers from potentially unsafe products.
NAFDAC provided the following channels for reporting suspected violations: its call centre numbers, 0800-1-623322 and 0700-1-623322, and the email address reforms@nafdac.gov.ng.
The discovery comes amid a series of enforcement operations by the agency against suspected counterfeit and adulterated products in Lagos and other parts of the country.
On October 14, NAFDAC reported uncovering a suspected facility at the International Trade Fair Complex in Lagos where expired alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were allegedly being repackaged for sale. The agency also reported seizures of suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks in other operations.
The latest operation highlights concerns about the misuse of regulatory registration numbers, which consumers often rely on when assessing whether products have been registered for sale in Nigeria.
NAFDAC has repeatedly urged consumers to verify product registration details and report suspicious products or manufacturing activities.
The agency’s investigation into the Agege facility is ongoing, and further details about the products recovered, their distribution and any potential health effects have not been publicly disclosed.
NAFDAC Busts Illegal Herbal Factory in Lagos, Arrests Manager Over Fake Registration Number
Health
FG Confirms Ebola Case in Abuja, Identifies 44 Contacts
FG Confirms Ebola Case in Abuja, Identifies 44 Contacts
The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, after laboratory tests returned positive for a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria from Uganda.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the development on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, saying health authorities had identified 44 close contacts and commenced contact tracing to prevent further transmission.
According to the minister, the patient was admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received medical attention for several days before the infection was confirmed. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is coordinating the response with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the FCT Health Services Secretariat and other relevant authorities.
Public health teams are tracing and monitoring people who may have been exposed to the patient, including healthcare workers, other patients, caregivers and people who travelled with her.
The government said surveillance had been intensified, while the hospital where the woman received treatment was receiving support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
The minister urged public and private healthcare facilities across Nigeria to remain on high alert and promptly identify, isolate and report suspected cases to the appropriate public health authorities.
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Healthcare workers were also directed to maintain strict infection prevention and control practices to reduce the risk of exposure and protect patients and medical personnel.
Pate appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials, stressing that early detection and prompt reporting were essential to containing the infection.
He noted that Nigeria had successfully contained an Ebola outbreak in 2014 and had experience and public health systems to respond to the current situation.
The government also urged anyone contacted during the tracing exercise, including passengers who may have travelled with the patient, to provide the necessary information and comply with official public health guidance.
Ebola virus disease is a serious illness that can spread through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or through contaminated objects and materials.
Symptoms may include fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea. The incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Anyone who believes they may have been exposed and subsequently develops symptoms should contact public health authorities for guidance and avoid close contact with others while awaiting advice.
The NCDC operates a toll-free call centre on 6232, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information and reports of suspected cases.
Nigeria’s latest case comes amid a wider Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and countries in East Africa. The NCDC had previously warned of the risk of imported infections and strengthened national preparedness measures.
The Federal Government said investigations and contact tracing were continuing, with further updates expected through the NCDC and the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease.
Authorities have urged the public to rely on verified information, follow official health advice and avoid spreading unconfirmed reports as efforts continue to contain the infection.
FG Confirms Ebola Case in Abuja, Identifies 44 Contacts
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