The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that Nigeria currently has no active Ebola cases following the medical evacuation of the country’s only confirmed patient and her husband to Switzerland.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, disclosed the development on Monday, October 26, after Nigerian authorities confirmed that the patient had left Abuja for further medical care in Switzerland.
According to Janabi, Nigerian medical teams successfully managed the patient through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition before the evacuation. He commended the Federal Government, healthcare workers, emergency responders and other partners involved in the response.
The patient, a Swiss citizen, was Nigeria’s first confirmed case of Ebola in more than a decade. She had travelled to Nigeria after visiting Uganda and was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus on October 20.
Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, confirmed that the patient was clinically stable, conscious and able to communicate before her departure. He said her laboratory results had also improved significantly.
However, Pate cautioned that the patient’s improved condition did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious. He said strict public health protocols were followed during the evacuation to reduce the risk of transmission.
The patient’s husband, who had remained without symptoms, accompanied her to Switzerland. The WHO said Swiss authorities would assume responsibility for the patient’s continued medical care and monitor her husband, who was listed as contact number 53.
Although Nigeria currently has no active Ebola cases, surveillance and contact monitoring are continuing. Janabi said Nigerian health authorities would maintain close follow-up of the remaining 52 contacts identified in connection with the confirmed case.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had earlier activated its emergency response system, identified people who might have been exposed to the virus and initiated contact tracing and other public health measures. The identified contacts included healthcare workers and other people who had interacted with the patient.
The origin of the infection is also under investigation. Health authorities are examining how the woman contracted the virus after travelling through Uganda. Scientists are expected to investigate possible links with cases reported elsewhere in the region, but a direct transmission link has not been established.
The Bundibugyo strain is a type of Ebola virus that can cause severe illness. Transmission generally occurs through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. The patient's evacuation does not remove the need for continued surveillance of people who may have been exposed.
Nigeria previously experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2014, when rapid public health action helped contain the disease. The latest case has again highlighted the importance of early detection, laboratory testing, infection prevention and cooperation between health authorities.
The WHO has praised the Nigerian response but stressed that vigilance remains essential while contacts continue to be monitored. Authorities have urged the public to rely on official health updates and avoid spreading unverified information about the case.
While the evacuation means Nigeria currently has no active Ebola cases, the situation remains under public health monitoring until the necessary follow-up measures have been completed.
Comments
Post a Comment