By Fortune Mbonu
Nigeria’s index case of Ebola virus disease has been evacuated to Switzerland alongside her husband for further medical attention, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has confirmed.
Pate announced on Monday, October 26, 2026, that the patient departed Abuja aboard a medical evacuation flight with his approval. He said the 42-year-old woman had shown significant clinical improvement before the evacuation and was stable, conscious and able to communicate, with her laboratory results approaching normal levels. However, he cautioned that her improved condition did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious.
The patient’s husband accompanied her on the flight and had remained asymptomatic. The evacuation was carried out under strict public health protocols designed to minimise the risk of transmission during the journey.
The woman, who travelled to Nigeria from Uganda through Addis Ababa on October 3, developed symptoms four days after arriving in the country. She subsequently sought medical attention at private health facilities in Abuja before testing positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on October 20. Her symptoms included fever, diarrhoea, generalised body aches and a sore throat.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported that 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified and were being followed up. The contacts included healthcare workers, domestic staff and the patient’s spouse. Authorities also reported that a suspected case in Rivers State had tested negative for Ebola.
The Federal Government has maintained that public health measures, including contact tracing, surveillance and infection prevention, remain in place to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.
Health authorities have urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, cooperate with public health officials when contacted and rely on verified information from credible sources.
The evacuation marks a significant development in Nigeria’s response to its first imported Ebola case in more than a decade, as investigations continue into the source of the infection and the possibility of links to other cases in the region.
