Omanghana
Nigeria has evacuated its only confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland for specialised treatment, while health authorities continue monitoring 53 people identified as her primary contacts.
The patient, a 42-year-old Ugandan-born Swiss citizen and wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Abuja, tested positive on October 20. The diagnosis marked Nigeria’s first confirmed Ebola case in more than a decade.
Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate said her condition had improved significantly before she departed Abuja aboard a medical evacuation flight. She remained infectious at the time of her transfer and is receiving care at Geneva University Hospital.
Her husband, who has shown no symptoms, is being held in isolation at Zurich University Hospital as a precaution.
Nigerian health officials said the evacuation left the country with no active confirmed Ebola cases. However, surveillance and contact monitoring remain in place to detect any further infections.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring 53 primary contacts under a 21-day observation protocol. Of these, 44 are linked to the healthcare facility where the patient initially received treatment. The remaining nine include household staff, family members and her driver.
Authorities have also strengthened surveillance and screening at international airport arrival terminals as part of efforts to prevent further transmission.
The infection was identified as the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments. A recent visit to Uganda is being considered as a possible source of exposure, although the origin of the infection has not been confirmed.
Health authorities are maintaining containment measures despite the patient’s departure, with the monitoring period intended to identify symptoms promptly among those who may have been exposed.
Source: Omanghana
