The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has approved an emergency stipend of N100,000 per person weekly for individuals placed in isolation or quarantine following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, explaining that the intervention was introduced to ease the financial burden on individuals who expressed concerns about feeding, accommodation and the upkeep of their families during the mandatory public health monitoring period.

Idris said the financial support was intended to encourage cooperation with health authorities and ensure that individuals identified as contacts of the confirmed case could comply with public health requirements without undue financial hardship.

He said the agency would cover accommodation and feeding expenses, adding that the weekly stipend was approved after some contacts requested financial assistance to cater for their families.

According to him, the payment was an emergency measure that was not included in the NCDC's original response plan but had become necessary under the prevailing circumstances.

The NCDC chief, however, stressed that the financial and logistical responsibilities associated with responding to public health emergencies should not rest solely on the FCT, urging state governments to strengthen their preparedness for similar outbreaks.

He said states must be ready to provide the personnel, funding and materials required for contact tracing, isolation and other emergency response activities within their jurisdictions.

The development comes as health authorities intensify surveillance and containment measures following the confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja on October 20.

Idris said Nigeria had recorded one confirmed case as of Sunday, with 53 primary contacts identified for monitoring. The contacts include healthcare workers, household members, domestic staff and personnel involved in collecting samples from the patient.

He explained that public health teams were categorising the contacts according to their levels of exposure and conducting regular follow-up checks, while anyone who developed symptoms would be promptly assessed and tested.

According to him, the NCDC has also established isolation arrangements for contacts requiring them, with health officials monitoring their condition throughout the 21-day incubation period following their last possible exposure.

Idris disclosed that one contact who reported feeling unwell had tested negative, adding that surveillance and follow-up activities were continuing.

The agency is also strengthening infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities, training health personnel and supporting the availability of protective equipment and laboratory supplies.

The confirmed case involves a woman who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda and tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

According to the timeline provided by health authorities, the woman developed symptoms on October 7, sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11 and tested positive on October 20.

The World Health Organisation has identified the infection as an imported case, while investigations continue to establish the likely source of exposure.

Idris said the NCDC was strengthening preparedness across the states, noting that containing the outbreak would require coordinated efforts by government agencies, healthcare workers, affected contacts and the general public.

He urged Nigerians to rely on verified information, avoid spreading rumours and cooperate with public health officials conducting contact tracing and monitoring.