Ebola Alert: WHO Says Nigeria Must Complete 42-Day Monitoring Before All-Clear

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that Nigeria must complete a 42-day monitoring period before it can officially be declared free of Ebola, despite the evacuation of the country’s confirmed patient to Switzerland.

The WHO’s Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, disclosed this during an interview on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, explaining that the evacuation of the patient does not automatically mean the country is free from the disease.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Ihekweazu said health authorities must continue monitoring all 53 identified contacts of the patient for 21 days, followed by an additional 21-day period before Nigeria can receive an Ebola-free declaration.

He explained that the surveillance process is necessary to ensure that no further transmission occurs, in line with established WHO protocols for managing Ebola incidents.

“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,” Ihekweazu said.

His clarification follows an earlier announcement by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, that Nigeria had no active Ebola cases following the medical evacuation of the infected patient and her husband.

However, Ihekweazu stressed that the absence of active cases does not eliminate the need for continued surveillance, as health officials must establish that no additional infections have emerged before declaring the country Ebola-free.

The WHO official also dismissed suggestions that the evacuation was prompted by inadequate medical facilities in Nigeria, explaining that the request came from the patient’s country of origin.

He commended Nigeria’s response to the incident, particularly the speed of laboratory confirmation, genetic sequencing and treatment efforts.

Ihekweazu further stated that the WHO had not recommended restrictions on political rallies or other public gatherings in connection with the incident. He emphasised, however, that daily monitoring of identified contacts remains critical to detecting and containing any possible spread of the virus.

Nigeria’s Ebola surveillance efforts will therefore continue until the required monitoring period is completed and health authorities are satisfied that there has been no further transmission.