The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases following the evacuation of the index patient and her husband to Switzerland.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, disclosed this on Monday in a post on his X account, saying the patient was in a clinically stable condition after receiving treatment from Nigerian medical personnel.
Janabi explained that the Nigerian health team successfully managed the woman during the most severe phase of the illness before stabilising her condition.
He also confirmed that the patient and her husband are both Swiss citizens.
“The patient is clinically stable. The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilized her condition.
“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” he wrote.
Despite the development, the WHO official stressed that continued monitoring was necessary to prevent further transmission of the disease.
He said Nigerian health authorities would maintain surveillance of 52 contacts linked to the case, while Switzerland would take responsibility for the patient’s continued treatment and monitor her husband, who is listed as contact number 53.
Janabi praised the Nigerian government, healthcare workers, clinicians and emergency responders for their efforts in managing the case.
The announcement followed the evacuation of Nigeria’s first imported Ebola patient to Switzerland earlier on Monday for further medical care.
The 42-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease, was airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at about 6am aboard a medical aircraft.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, also confirmed the departure in a post on X, stating that he had approved the transfer.
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“I confirm that, with my approval, earlier this morning, the index case for Nigeria’s first imported Ebola virus disease departed Abuja for Switzerland,” Pate said.
The minister added that the woman’s husband had not developed symptoms of the disease.
Although the evacuation means there are currently no Ebola cases in Nigeria, health authorities are continuing to monitor exposed individuals as part of efforts to contain the risk of further infections.