The World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that Nigeria has not been declared Ebola-free, despite having no confirmed active cases. The clarification comes after reports suggested the country was free of the virus following the evacuation of its index patient to Switzerland.
However, Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak monitoring remains ongoing, with health authorities tracking 52 contacts who may have been exposed to the virus. The WHO said the reports resulted from a misunderstanding of a statement by its Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi.
“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” Janabi said.
Following the statement, some media platforms reported that Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free. The organisation has since urged outlets to correct the misleading reports. In a post on X on Monday, the WHO stressed that having no confirmed cases does not mean an outbreak has officially ended.
“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,” the organisation stated.
The index patient, a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda, tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on October 20, 2026. She was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland by air ambulance for further medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Nigerian health authorities are monitoring 52 contacts linked to the confirmed case. Officials have urged those identified to cooperate with health workers throughout the monitoring period.
Under international health rules, a country must complete a 42-day period without new cases before an Ebola outbreak can be declared over.
The countdown begins after the last confirmed patient tests negative twice for the virus, according to the WHO’s explanation. Health authorities must also maintain surveillance to identify any new infections and prevent further spread.
The organisation emphasised that Nigeria must complete the required monitoring period before receiving an official declaration that the outbreak has ended. The WHO also called on the media organisation responsible for the inaccurate headline to retract and correct its report.
For now, Nigeria’s Ebola outbreak monitoring continues, despite the absence of confirmed active cases.
Health officials are expected to maintain surveillance and track identified contacts throughout the required period.
