Nigeria has evacuated its confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland for further treatment as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the virus.
The 42-year-old woman, who tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease, was airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard a medical aircraft at about 6am on Monday.
The patient, who is the wife of a Swiss diplomat, travelled to the airport in an ambulance convoy accompanied by diplomatic vehicles.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, confirmed her departure in a post on X, stating that he had approved the evacuation.
According to Pate, the patient’s condition had improved considerably before the transfer. She was stable, conscious and able to communicate, while her laboratory test results were approaching baseline levels.
However, the minister cautioned that her clinical improvement did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious. He said strict public health protocols remained in place.
The patient travelled with her husband, who has remained asymptomatic, while health authorities continue to monitor people who may have been exposed to the virus.
As of October 25, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) had identified 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case, up from the initial 44. The contacts were being monitored for symptoms as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
Nigeria confirmed its first case of the current outbreak on October 20, after the woman tested positive in Abuja. She had travelled from Uganda and reportedly developed symptoms on October 7 before seeking medical attention at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11.
Following confirmation of the infection, the NCDC activated response measures, including contact tracing, laboratory testing and infection prevention procedures in healthcare facilities.
Authorities have also expanded health declaration requirements for international arrivals from all countries and strengthened surveillance at five priority international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano and Port Harcourt.
The response involves the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Port Health Services, immigration, customs and other relevant agencies.
The evacuation comes amid a wider outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease declared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in May 2026. Kenya has also reported nine cases of the virus.
Nigeria previously experienced an Ebola outbreak in 2014 after an infected traveller from Liberia arrived in Lagos. The country recorded 20 cases, including eight deaths, before the outbreak was declared over in October that year.
The NCDC has urged Nigerians to remain vigilant, cooperate with public health officials and obtain information from credible sources as containment efforts continue.