Nigeria Has No Active Ebola Cases After Patient’s Evacuation to Switzerland — WHO

The World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, has said Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases following the medical evacuation of an affected patient and her husband to Switzerland.

Janabi disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, adding that Nigerian health authorities would continue monitoring 52 contacts linked to the case.

He said the evacuation took place earlier on Monday, noting that both the patient and her husband were Swiss citizens. Switzerland will take responsibility for the patient’s continued medical management and follow up with her husband.

According to Janabi, the patient was clinically stable after Nigerian medical teams managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition before the evacuation.

The WHO regional director congratulated the Federal Government, health workers, clinicians, emergency responders and other partners involved in the response. He described the outcome as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s public health system.

Janabi said the case demonstrated the expertise and resilience of African health professionals, particularly when countries cooperate to manage public health emergencies. He noted that coordinated action remained important in containing health threats and supporting affected patients.

Despite the evacuation, he stressed that continued vigilance was necessary. Nigeria will maintain close monitoring of 52 contacts, while Swiss authorities will manage the follow-up of contact number 53, identified as the patient’s husband.

The WHO official urged continued attention to contact tracing and other response measures to help prevent further transmission. The development highlights the importance of sustained public health monitoring even after a patient has been transferred for treatment abroad.