ECDC Deploys Expert Team to Nigeria as Ebola Cases Surpass 10,000 in Congo

Published on 27 October 2026

As the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo surpasses 10,000 cases and spreads beyond its epicenter, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has dispatched a team of experts to Nigeria. Nigeria became the fourth African country to report an Ebola case during this outbreak.

The ECDC team, led by its senior expert in epidemic intelligence, is tasked with providing advice and technical support to the EU Delegation in Abuja. The experts have offered assistance to Nigerian authorities in key areas, including disease surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, as well as overall preparedness and response.

This deployment is part of a broader, ongoing effort by the ECDC to support African nations during the largest Ebola outbreak Congo has experienced. Previously, in May, a team was sent to support the Africa CDC. The Centre also led a fact-finding mission on airport exit screening in the DRC and Uganda, and deployed experts to South Sudan in June.

The current outbreak, which began in Congo in May, has also spread to Kenya and Uganda. Kenya reported its first-ever Ebola case on October 6. According to the United Nations, eight contacts of confirmed cases had developed symptoms and tested positive, and were immediately transferred to an Ebola treatment center in Nairobi. Additionally, 20 contacts were released from quarantine in Kenya on Tuesday.

According to the ECDC’s latest threat assessment, the risk of infection to Europeans remains very low. For individuals living in or traveling to affected areas in Kenya and Nigeria, the risk is assessed as low.

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