By Ayobami Okerinde
Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the country’s index patient to Switzerland, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has not declared the country Ebola-free.
The WHO Nigeria office said in a post on X on Monday that public health officials were continuing to monitor people who might have been exposed to the virus.
“WHO has not declared Nigeria Ebola‑free. Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland. Health officials are closely monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed,” the post reads.
“Under the International Health Regulations, a country can only be declared Ebola‑free after a 42‑day countdown following the last confirmed case testing negative twice for the virus or, in this situation, after the evacuation of the confirmed case. This period is then followed by heightened surveillance.”
The clarification came hours after reports were making rounds that Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free.
Vanguard earlier reported that Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, on Monday confirmed the departure of the Swiss patient and spouse via an air ambulance to Switzerland.
Pate said the patient had improved clinically and was stable, conscious and communicating before the evacuation. He, however, cautioned that her improved condition did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, said the Nigerian medical team had successfully managed the patient through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition before the evacuation.
The NCDC earlier on Sunday said that 53 contacts linked to the case had been identified and followed up. They included health workers, domestic staff and the patient’s husband.
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