Nigeria’s Ebola index patient and her husband have arrived safely in Switzerland. Health Minister Prof Ali Pate confirmed this in an update on X on Monday evening.
The patient is being treated at Geneva University Hospitals. Her husband is in isolation at University Hospital Zurich.
Nigeria Now Has No Active Cases
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, said Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases after the evacuation. He stressed that vigilance must continue.
Nigeria will keep monitoring 52 identified contacts. The patient’s husband is counted as contact number 53. Swiss authorities will handle her treatment and his follow-up.
Pate said contact monitoring, investigation of alerts and other containment steps are continuing. Africa CDC and WHO AFRO are supporting the effort. He promised regular updates through the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Switzerland Thanks Nigerian Health Workers
Pate said Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider thanked Nigeria during a phone call. She praised the care given by Nigerian health professionals. She also noted the close cooperation with WHO that made the evacuation possible.
Pate thanked clinical and public health teams in both countries. He also thanked the NCDC, Swiss health agencies and WHO. He wished the patient a continued recovery.
Patient Was Stable Before Departure
Earlier on Monday, Pate confirmed that he approved the evacuation. The patient left Abuja for Switzerland that morning.
He described her as clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating. Her lab results were moving back towards baseline.
However, he warned that she could still be infectious. That is why strict protocols were followed during the evacuation.
How The Outbreak Unfolded
The government confirmed Nigeria’s first imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20. The patient had recently travelled from Uganda. The infection was the Bundibugyo strain.
Authorities then began contact tracing, surveillance and monitoring. At first, 44 contacts were identified. The WHO’s later update put the number at 52, plus the husband.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person, or through contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea. Severe cases can involve bleeding. The incubation period can last up to 21 days, so monitoring must continue.
The Federal Government urged Nigerians to stay alert and rely on credible sources.
Kebbi Plans Border Screening
Kebbi State has stepped up its preparedness. It plans to screen passengers at selected border points and at Ahmadu Bello International Airport in Birnin Kebbi.
A team of public health officials recently visited the airport to assess readiness. The state says it wants early detection and a quick, coordinated response to any suspected case.
