The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said Nigeria must complete a 42-day monitoring period before it can officially be declared free of Ebola after a case was confirmed.
WHO Health Emergencies Programme Executive Director, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the 53 identified contacts of the infected patient must be monitored for 21 days, followed by another 21-day period as required by established protocols.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, said Nigeria currently had no active Ebola cases after the infected patient and her husband were medically evacuated to Switzerland.
“The Nigerian medical team successfully managed her through the acute phase of the illness and stabilised her condition,” Janabi said. He added, “With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases.”
However, Ihekweazu said the monitoring period must be completed before Nigeria can be declared Ebola-free.
“What it means still is that we have about 53 people, contacts, individuals with whom that individual had contact over the days that she was ill. And now we have to continue to follow each of them for 21 days and then require another 21 days, coming up to 42, in order to declare Nigeria Ebola-free,” he said.
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👉 JOIN GISTSMATE WHATSAPP CHANNELHe said the evacuation was requested by the patient’s country of origin, not because Nigeria lacked treatment capacity.
Ihekweazu praised Nigeria’s response, citing the rapid laboratory confirmation, sequencing and treatment of the patient.
“Nigeria’s going to be proud of the response so far,” he said.
He said WHO had not recommended restrictions on political rallies or gatherings, stressing, “Our advice is never political. It’s always technical.”
Ihekweazu urged Nigerians to trust the government and health agencies while contacts are monitored daily to detect and contain any possible transmission early.
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