Nigeria Has No Active Ebola Cases After Patient’s Evacuation To Switzerland – WHO

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.

The WHO African Regional Director, Professor Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this on Monday, saying the patient had been stabilised by Nigerian medical teams before the evacuation, while the country would continue monitoring 52 contacts linked to the case.

“Earlier this morning, the Ebola patient in Nigeria and her contact, who is also her husband, were medically evacuated to Switzerland,” Janabi said.

He explained that the evacuation was carried out because both individuals are Swiss citizens and the patient’s condition had improved following treatment in Nigeria.

“The patient is clinically stable. The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilized her condition,” he said.

Janabi congratulated the Federal Government, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and other partners involved in the response, describing the evacuation as a demonstration of Africa’s public health capacity.

“On behalf of WHO and all partners, I warmly congratulate the Government of Nigeria, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and all those involved in the response. This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to what Africa can accomplish when we work together,” he said.

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He, however, stressed that the evacuation did not mean surveillance efforts could be relaxed, noting that Nigeria would continue monitoring contacts linked to the imported case.

“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” he said.

“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,” Janabi added.

TVC News earlier reported that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, also confirmed the evacuation in a post on his official X account, saying he had approved the patient’s departure from Abuja.

Pate said the patient’s clinical condition had significantly improved, adding that she was stable, conscious and able to communicate, while her laboratory test results were approaching baseline levels.

“The index patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious, communicating, and her clinical laboratory test results closing towards baseline,” he said.

He cautioned, however, that the improvement did not mean the patient was no longer infectious, explaining that strict protocols were maintained throughout the evacuation.

“This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place,” Pate added.

According to the minister, the patient was evacuated alongside her husband, who had remained asymptomatic.

“The patient was evacuated along with her spouse who has remained asymptomatic,” he said.

Pate commended the clinical personnel who treated the patient and public health officials who coordinated the evacuation in line with established public health measures.

“I thank all the various clinical staff for the high quality care they provided the patient as well as the public health personnel who ensured the evacuation was carried out in line with best public health measures for such evacuations,” he said.

He added that public health measures remained in place to ensure the successful containment of the imported virus and urged Nigerians to remain vigilant.

“All public health measures are continuing to ensure successful containment of the imported virus. I urge Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely on information from credible sources,” Pate said.

The evacuation transfers responsibility for the patient’s continued medical management and the monitoring of her husband to Swiss authorities, while Nigerian health officials continue surveillance of the remaining 52 contacts.