Nigeria’s health authorities confirmed Monday that the country has no confirmed cases of Ebola after the evacuation of the sole confirmed patient to Switzerland. The patient, who is a citizen of Switzerland, was evacuated from Abuja, the capital, by air. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that Nigeria is now free of the virus, following the successful transfer of the patient.
The Federal Government confirmed the evacuation of Nigeria’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Switzerland after the patient showed significant clinical improvement. The patient had been under observation and treatment in Nigeria, and the decision to evacuate was made to ensure proper medical care.
Nigeria has intensified contact-tracing efforts and implemented stricter screening protocols at airports to prevent the spread of the virus. Health officials are monitoring 52 contacts of the patient, while Switzerland will manage the patient’s medical follow-up and treatment. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohammed Janabi, reiterated that Nigeria is currently free of the virus and will continue to monitor the situation closely.
This marks the first time Nigeria has reported no active Ebola cases since the outbreak was detected. The country had previously faced challenges in containing the virus, but the swift action taken by health authorities has helped to eliminate the threat. The evacuation of the patient to Switzerland underscores the international collaboration in managing public health crises.
