WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola-Free After Patient’s Evacuation To Switzerland

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria currently has no Ebola case following the evacuation of the index patient and her husband to Switzerland for continued medical care and monitoring.

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, announced this on Monday in a statement posted on his official X account.

Janabi said the patient and her husband, both Swiss citizens, were evacuated earlier in the day after Nigerian medical teams stabilised the woman’s condition and successfully managed the acute phase of her illness.

He commended the Federal Government, healthcare workers, clinicians, emergency responders and partner organisations for their roles in containing the situation.

According to him, the development demonstrates Africa’s capacity to respond effectively to public health emergencies through professional expertise, resilience and international cooperation.

Despite the evacuation, Janabi stressed that surveillance and contact tracing efforts must continue to prevent further transmission.

He said Nigerian health authorities would maintain monitoring of 52 contacts, while Swiss authorities would take responsibility for the patient’s continued treatment and follow up with her husband, identified as the 53rd contact.

The WHO regional director urged continued vigilance, emphasising that the evacuation did not remove the need for sustained monitoring and other public health measures.

The development follows the Federal Government’s confirmation of the evacuation as health authorities continue efforts to manage the Ebola incident and monitor people who may have been exposed to the infection.