By Lizzy Chirkpi
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases following the medical evacuation of the country’s index patient and her husband to Switzerland.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this on Monday in a statement posted on his official X account, describing the development as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to contain the imported infection.
“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” Janabi said.
He, however, stressed that vigilance remained essential, as Nigerian health authorities continued to monitor people who might have been exposed to the virus.
“However, vigilance remains critical. Nigeria will continue the close follow-up of 52 contacts, while Switzerland will assume responsibility for the continued management of the patient and the follow-up of contact number 53, her husband,” he added.
Janabi explained that the patient and her husband were Swiss citizens and that the evacuation followed the successful stabilisation of the woman’s condition by Nigerian medical personnel.
“The patient is clinically stable. The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition,” he said.
The WHO regional director congratulated the Federal Government, healthcare workers, clinicians, emergency responders and other personnel involved in the response, commending their efforts in treating the patient and facilitating her evacuation.
“This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to what Africa can accomplish when we work together,” he added.
Pate Warns Patient Could Still Be Infectious
Earlier on Monday, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, confirmed that the index patient had departed Abuja for Switzerland with his approval.
Pate said the patient’s condition had improved significantly before the evacuation but cautioned that clinical improvement did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious.
“The index patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious, communicating, and her clinical laboratory test results were closing towards baseline,” he said in a post on his official X account.
He added: “This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place.”
The minister also confirmed that the patient’s husband, who had remained asymptomatic, was evacuated alongside her.
Pate commended the clinical staff who treated the patient and the public health personnel who coordinated the evacuation in line with established safety protocols.
He also assured Nigerians that containment measures remained in place and urged the public to remain vigilant and rely on credible sources of information.
Despite the evacuation, Nigerian health authorities will continue monitoring 52 identified contacts, while Switzerland assumes responsibility for the patient’s continued treatment and the monitoring of her husband.
The development follows Nigeria’s confirmation of its first imported Ebola case in more than a decade. The patient, a 42-year-old woman, had returned from Uganda before testing positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has continued surveillance, contact tracing and other public health interventions to prevent further transmission.
Although the evacuation means Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases within its borders, the continued monitoring of identified contacts remains crucial to preventing further transmission. Authorities have urged Nigerians to remain vigilant as public health surveillance continues.