We’ve not declared Nigeria Ebola-free, WHO debunks report

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has debunked a media report claiming it had declared Nigeria Ebola-free, clarifying that the country has no confirmed case following the evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland.

WHO Nigeria, in a post on X on Monday, described the report’s headline, “WHO declares Nigeria Ebola free after patient’s evacuation to Switzerland,” as inaccurate and misleading.

The organisation stressed that the absence of confirmed cases following the patient’s evacuation does not amount to an official declaration that Nigeria is Ebola-free.

It also confirmed that health officials are monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed to the virus.

WHO Nigeria explained that, under the International Health Regulations, a country can only be declared Ebola-free after a 42-day countdown following the last confirmed case testing negative twice for the virus or, in the current situation, after the evacuation of the confirmed case.

The 42-day period is followed by heightened surveillance to monitor for possible new infections.

The clarification followed a statement by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, on his official X handle on Monday, in which he provided an update on the patient’s evacuation and Nigeria’s Ebola response.

Janabi disclosed that the patient and her husband, both Swiss citizens, were evacuated to Switzerland earlier on Monday. He added that Switzerland would manage the patient’s treatment and follow up with her husband, while Nigerian health authorities continued monitoring the 52 contacts.

According to the WHO regional director, the patient was clinically stable after Nigerian medical teams successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition.

He also congratulated the Federal Government, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and other partners involved in the response, describing their efforts as a remarkable achievement.

However, WHO Nigeria called for the correction and retraction of the report’s headline, saying it misrepresented Janabi’s statement.

The organisation maintained that Nigeria currently has no confirmed Ebola case following the evacuation but has not been officially declared Ebola-free.

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The statement reads, “The headline of this news story is inaccurate and misleading. WHO has not declared Nigeria Ebola‑free. Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland. Health officials are closely monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed.

“Under the International Health Regulations, a country can only be declared Ebola‑free after a 42‑day countdown following the last confirmed case testing negative twice for the virus or, in this situation, after the evacuation of the confirmed case. This period is then followed by heightened surveillance.

“WHO requests that this headline be retracted and corrected. It is an inaccurate interpretation of the X post made by the WHO Regional Director for Africa.”