|  Says this will happen if no new confirmed or probable cases emerge   |  Minister speaks after medical evacuation of index patient to Switzerland

The coordinating minister of health and social welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has said Nigeria could declare the Ebola outbreak over by December 7, 2026, if no new confirmed or probable cases emerge and the required 42-day countdown is validated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The minister disclosed this on his X handle following the medical evacuation of Nigeria’s imported Ebola index patient and her husband to Switzerland on Monday.

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Although Nigeria has recorded no additional Ebola cases since the index case was confirmed, surveillance and contact-tracing activities are continuing, with 52 contacts still under monitoring in the country.

Pate said the December 7 date remained provisional, pending validation of the 42-day countdown by the NCDC and WHO in line with established criteria. He warned that any new confirmed or probable case would necessitate a fresh countdown.

He said health authorities were maintaining active surveillance, promptly investigating alerts and strengthening preparedness across health facilities to prevent further transmission.

The minister added that response teams were working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), state health authorities and partners to sustain containment measures.

He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and rely on verified information.

Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Ebola virus disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus on October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests detected the infection in a woman who had travelled from Uganda.

According to the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, the woman arrived in Abuja on October 3 after spending two weeks on holiday in Uganda.

Kaseya said she developed symptoms three days after arriving in Nigeria but initially suspected malaria. She subsequently sought treatment at several health facilities in Abuja before testing positive for Ebola on October 19, raising concerns about the timely detection of the infection.

Ebola is a severe viral disease that can be fatal and spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, as well as contaminated materials. Early detection, prompt isolation and contact tracing are critical to preventing further transmission.

Following confirmation of the case, 44 contacts were initially identified for monitoring, while investigations continued to establish the patient’s exposure history and identify others who might have come into contact with her.

The NCDC activated its incident management system to coordinate the response, working with the WHO, Africa CDC and other partners to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing and infection prevention and control measures.

As investigations progressed, the number of identified contacts increased from 44 to 53, including healthcare workers and the patient’s husband.

On October 26, Pate confirmed that the patient had been medically evacuated from Abuja to Switzerland alongside her husband, who had remained asymptomatic.

He said the patient was clinically stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels. However, he cautioned that her clinical improvement did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious, stressing that strict public health protocols had been maintained throughout the evacuation.

Meanwhile, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, said Switzerland would take responsibility for the patient’s continued medical management and the follow-up of her husband, identified as contact number 53.

Janabi commended the Nigerian government and health workers for stabilising the patient before her evacuation, describing the response as a demonstration of African expertise and leadership in public health.