African health ministers to hold talks as Nigeria reports Ebola case

Nigeria has confirmed its first Ebola case in over a decade, expanding an outbreak that health officials describe as the fastest-spreading on record. France 24 and Al Jazeera reported that the patient, a woman who flew to the capital Abuja from Uganda, tested positive for the virus. Euronews reported that the patient is now in isolation while her contacts, including her spouse, a Swiss national, are being monitored. [1][2][3][5][6]

Outlets differ on the count of affected nations in the current outbreak. Euronews, the New York Post and France 24 reported that Nigeria is the fourth African country to confirm a case, following the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. However, STAT reported that Nigeria is the fifth country to identify a related infection. [1][2][3][4]

The New York Post reported that the outbreak has killed 4,646 people, and UPI noted that it has sickened nearly 10,000. According to the New York Post, the Ebola species behind the outbreak kills about half of those infected and has no approved treatment or vaccine. Initial cases in this epidemic were reported on May 14, 2026, in the Ituri Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [2][7][13]

Euronews reported that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is convening African health ministers to hold crisis talks to coordinate a response to the growing outbreak. [1]