The Federal Government has announced that Nigeria could officially declare its ongoing Ebola outbreak over as early as December 7, 2026, provided no further confirmed or probable cases are detected and World Health Organization (WHO) protocols are fully satisfied.
ALSO READ: FG Disburses ₦38.93bn Revitalisation Fund to 166 Tertiary Institutions Nationwide
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Monday evening via his official X handle, following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland for continued treatment.
Prof. Pate emphasized that the December 7 timeline remains provisional. The date is subject to the rigorous monitoring of identified contacts and formal validation of the mandatory 42-day countdown by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the WHO. He warned that the detection of any new case would immediately reset the countdown period.
According to WHO reports, the index patient—a 42-year-old woman—recently traveled to Nigeria from Uganda, developing symptoms on October 7 before seeking medical care at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, where laboratory testing later confirmed the infection.
Meanwhile, the NCDC confirmed on Sunday that it is actively monitoring and line-listing 53 primary contacts linked to the index case, including healthcare workers and domestic contacts, to prevent potential secondary transmission across the country.
CULLED FROM CHANNELS
