Nigeria has identified 53 people who may have been exposed to its confirmed Ebola case, as health authorities step up contact tracing and monitoring to prevent further transmission of the disease.

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Jide Idris, disclosed the figure on Sunday during a media briefing in Abuja, where he provided an update on the country’s response to the outbreak.

According to Idris, 44 of the identified contacts were linked to the health facility where the infected woman received treatment, while nine others had different forms of contact with her.

The additional nine contacts comprise three members of the patient’s household, including her husband and two other household members, as well as her driver and chef. Three people who attended to her at Julius Berger Clinic before she was taken to another facility were also identified, alongside three health personnel who collected samples from her.

Idris said the contacts had been identified and categorised according to their level of exposure, with public health teams continuing to monitor them.

None of the 53 identified contacts had tested positive for Ebola or developed symptoms as of Sunday, according to the NCDC chief.

The agency has continued its investigations to determine the extent of possible exposure and identify people who may require further monitoring.

Nigeria confirmed its first case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20 after a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda tested positive following laboratory investigations in Abuja. She developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention at a private health facility on October 11.

The NCDC said the infected woman tested positive in three samples, while a sample collected from her husband returned a negative result.

Health authorities have also investigated a suspected Ebola case in Rivers State, which tested negative, according to Idris.

The confirmed infection has prompted increased surveillance and contact-tracing efforts as Nigeria works to prevent further spread of the virus. The World Health Organisation has emphasised the importance of identifying cases quickly, monitoring contacts and strengthening infection prevention measures in healthcare facilities.