Nigeria has recorded no new Ebola infections following the confirmation of its first confirmed case in more than a decade, while the Ebola patient has tested negative for the virus after treatment in Switzerland, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.
Jide Idris, Director-General of the NCDC, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday. He said that everyone identified as contacts of the index patient has completed the mandatory 21-day quarantine and monitoring period without any confirmed secondary infection.
Health authorities had identified 62 contacts linked to the case and placed them under 21-day monitoring, the maximum incubation period for Ebola.
According to Idris, the completion of contact tracing without confirmed secondary transmission was reassuring for the general public.
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He described the outcome as encouraging, saying it demonstrated the importance of early recognition, prompt investigation and effective public health measures in containing infectious disease threats. He said cooperation between health authorities and communities also played an important role in the response.
The NCDC boss, however, cautioned that the absence of new Ebola cases did not mean Nigeria was out of danger, urging Nigerians to continue observing public health guidelines and remain vigilant.
Idris said the World Health Organisation (WHO), rather than the NCDC or the Federal Government, would certify Nigeria as Ebola-free after the country meets the required conditions.
Nigeria confirmed its first Ebola case since 2014 on October 20, 2026, after a female Ugandan-born diplomat tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus in Abuja.
The patient had travelled to Uganda before returning to Nigeria and subsequently developed symptoms. She initially received treatment at a private health facility in Abuja before her diagnosis was confirmed.
Following the confirmation, the NCDC said it activated emergency response measures, including contact tracing, active surveillance and monitoring of people who might have been exposed to the virus.
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Although Nigeria has reported no active confirmed Ebola case following the evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland on October 26, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has clarified that the country cannot yet be officially declared Ebola-free.
The WHO requires Nigeria to complete 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case before declaring the outbreak over. The period represents twice the virus’s maximum 21-day incubation period and is intended to ensure that no further transmission has occurred.
Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, had earlier said Nigeria could be declared Ebola-free as early as December 7, 2026, provided no new confirmed or probable cases were detected.
The date is provisional and depends on the completion of the mandatory 42-day observation period without another case. Any new confirmed or probable infection could reset the countdown.
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