The World Health Organization on Thursday, October 22, warned that Africa is now facing a complex Ebola outbreak after the virus spread from East Africa to West Africa.
Nigeria on Tuesday confirmed an imported case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease in a woman who travelled from Uganda. She is the wife of a Swiss diplomat and had a history of travel through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This makes Nigeria the fourth African country affected, alongside DR Congo, Uganda and Kenya.
According to WHO Africa chief Mohamed Janabi, the continent is facing a more complex outbreak landscape. The DR Congo outbreak is already the deadliest in its history, killing 4,381 people out of more than 9,000 confirmed cases since mid-May 2026.
Kenya has reported nine cases since October 6, while Nigeria's case has raised fears of wider spread. Health experts say the patient was diagnosed 13 days after symptoms started, exposing at least 44 contacts in Lagos.
The Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccine, unlike the Zaire strain. WHO has deployed emergency teams to Lagos, Nairobi and Kinshasa to contain the outbreak. Nigeria previously contained Ebola in 2014, raising hopes it can do it again.
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