Pate said the patient was a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the infection was confirmed.
The minister added that the woman had been placed in isolation and was receiving medical care.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and the FCT Health Services Secretariat are collaborating with other relevant agencies to contain the infection.
He said surveillance had been intensified, while the hospital where the patient was treated was receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures.
Pate urged public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to remain vigilant, directing health workers to promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, adhere to strict infection prevention protocols and report suspected infections to public health authorities without delay.
He also called on Nigerians to remain calm and observe preventive measures, including regular handwashing and avoiding contact with the blood and other bodily fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
The minister identified fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea as symptoms to watch for, particularly among people who may have been exposed to the virus.
“Anyone who develops symptoms should avoid close contact with others and call public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility,” the statement advised.
The government further appealed to people contacted by public health officials during the tracing exercise, including airline passengers who may have been exposed, to provide the necessary information and comply with official instructions.
Nigeria recalls 2014 Ebola outbreak
The latest case comes more than a decade after Nigeria successfully contained an Ebola outbreak that began in July 2014.
The outbreak followed the arrival of Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American traveller who flew from Liberia to Lagos and later died of the disease.
Dr Stella Adadevoh, who treated Sawyer, also died, alongside six other people out of 20 recorded cases.
On 20 October 2014, the World Health Organisation declared Nigeria free of Ebola transmission, following the country’s successful containment efforts.
In an advisory issued on 6 October, the NCDC had raised concerns about the risk of Ebola being imported into Nigeria after a confirmed case in Kenya was linked to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Public urged to follow health guidelines
According to the World Health Organisation, Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.
People infected with the virus do not transmit it before symptoms appear, while the incubation period ranges from two to 21 days.
Reassuring Nigerians, Pate said the country had the experience and public health infrastructure needed to respond to the case. However, he stressed that cooperation from the public would be essential to preventing further transmission.
The Federal Government said the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease and the NCDC would continue to provide updates as the response progresses.
Members of the public were advised to contact the NCDC’s toll-free call centre on 6232, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for information or to report a suspected case.
