ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigerian health authorities are investigating the travel history of a woman diagnosed with Ebola virus disease in Abuja after reports indicated that she arrived in the country aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight earlier this month.

According to an aviation official who spoke anonymously to Vanguard, the patient entered Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on October 3, 2026, aboard Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET333.

The reported flight details have become relevant to ongoing efforts to identify individuals who may have encountered the patient during her journey and subsequent stay in Nigeria.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had earlier confirmed that the woman had recently travelled through Uganda before arriving in Abuja.

The World Health Organisation reported that she developed symptoms on October 7, four days after her arrival, and sought medical care at a private facility on October 11.

Laboratory tests eventually confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease on October 20.

The patient has since been isolated and is receiving medical attention while public health authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding her infection.

Reuters reported that the woman was tested for Ebola on October 19, approximately 12 days after symptoms first appeared.

The delay has raised concerns among health experts because patients who develop symptoms can transmit the virus through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.

During the period before confirmation, the patient reportedly received treatment at healthcare facilities, increasing the importance of identifying medical personnel, caregivers and other individuals who may have been exposed.

Nigeria's health authorities have identified 44 contacts and are continuing investigations to determine whether additional people require monitoring.

The tracing operation involves the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the NCDC, health officials in the Federal Capital Territory and international public health partners.

The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr Jean Kaseya, expressed concern about the implications of delayed detection for contact tracing and outbreak containment.

He said investigators needed to identify everyone who may have had close contact with the woman during the period when she was symptomatic.

The Nigerian government has strengthened infection prevention measures at the private hospital where the patient received treatment and directed healthcare facilities nationwide to maintain heightened surveillance.

Airport authorities are also working with relevant public health agencies to support the investigation and improve screening procedures.

The WHO has emphasised that being identified as a contact does not mean an individual has contracted Ebola. Contacts are monitored so that symptoms can be detected quickly and appropriate action taken.

Investigations are also continuing to establish the patient's precise movements before arriving in Nigeria and determine where the original infection occurred.

For health authorities, reconstructing the woman's travel and treatment history remains central to containing the imported case and preventing further transmission.

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