The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised countries against imposing travel or trade restrictions on nations affected by the Ebola outbreak.
In a statement on Tuesday, the organisation said it was closely monitoring measures introduced by countries in response to the outbreak and would verify travel and trade restrictions where necessary.
“WHO advises against any restriction of travel to, or trade with, affected countries,” the organisation said.
The advisory comes after Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Nigeria has become the fifth country to detect the virus since an outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 15, 2026.
Ali Pate, the coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said on Tuesday that the patient was a woman who had recently travelled to Nigeria from Uganda.
According to Pate, her symptoms began on October 7, four days after she arrived in Nigeria. She sought medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.
He said the patient was in isolation and receiving medical care, while investigations continued to establish the likely source of infection and trace her movements and contacts.
The ministry said 44 contacts had been identified and were under monitoring.
Authorities have also strengthened infection prevention and control measures at the health facility where the patient received treatment.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has activated its incident management system to coordinate the national response.
WHO said it was supporting Nigerian health authorities with case investigations, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, as well as essential supplies, including personal protective equipment for health workers.
The organisation urged countries in the region to maintain heightened surveillance and preparedness as the outbreak in the DRC continues to develop.
Meanwhile, Kenya has reported nine cases linked to an imported infection in recent weeks.
WHO called on countries to strengthen disease surveillance, ensure laboratories can safely test suspected cases, prepare rapid-response and clinical teams, and reinforce infection prevention measures in public and private health facilities.
It also urged countries to ensure essential supplies were available, engage communities and strengthen monitoring at points of entry.
The organisation said it was regularly reviewing its assessment of the outbreak’s risks to account for new developments.
US issues travel advisory
On Monday, the United States advised its citizens to reconsider travelling to Kenya because of the risks posed by Ebola and other security concerns.
The advisory comes amid growing concern about the disease’s spread and its potential implications for international travel.
Larry Madowo, CNN’s international correspondent, also said on Tuesday that he had been denied a visa to El Salvador over concerns about Ebola in Kenya.
Madowo, who is Kenyan, said El Salvador had barred citizens of eight African countries from entering its territory. The countries included Ethiopia, Angola, the DRC, Burundi and the Central African Republic.
The restrictions contrast with WHO’s advice against imposing travel and trade restrictions on countries affected by the outbreak.