Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had earlier confirmed one imported case from Uganda and placed 53 contacts under monitoring in Abuja.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The World Health Organization (WHO) has clarified that Nigeria is currently free of Ebola virus cases after the country’s index patient was evacuated to Switzerland.
This was revealed on Monday, October 26, by WHO’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, in a post shared on his verified X handle.
”Nigeria is now Ebola-free following the evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland,” the statement read.
Earlier, a woman identified as the 42-year-old Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja, who is Nigeria’s Ebola index patient, was evacuated from the country aboard a medical air ambulance after her condition worsened.
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According to Arise Television, the evacuation took place early on Monday morning through the private jet terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Giving an update on the development, Janabi said that Nigeria would continue monitoring 52 contacts while Switzerland would manage the patient and follow up with her husband.
He added that the index patient was clinically stable after Nigerian medical teams successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition.
”Nigeria would maintain close follow-up of 52 contacts, while Switzerland would assume responsibility for the continued management of the patient and monitoring of contact number 53, her husband,” Janabi further noted.
