Nigeria could be declared Ebola-free on December 7 — Minister

Nigeria could be declared free of the current Ebola outbreak by December 7, 2026, if no further cases are detected, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, has said.

Pate disclosed this on Monday following the medical evacuation of the infected Swiss patient and her spouse from Nigeria, noting that the proposed date remains provisional pending validation of the World Health Organisation’s 42-day countdown.

In a post on his X handle, the minister said any additional confirmed or probable case would trigger a fresh countdown under WHO criteria.

“ If no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, Nigeria could progress towards declaring this outbreak over under WHO criteria, potentially as early as 7 December 2026,” he said.

“This date remains provisional, subject to NCDC and WHO validating the 42-day countdown. Any further case would require a fresh countdown in accordance with those criteria.”

Pate said the government’s immediate priorities included monitoring identified contacts, investigating alerts and strengthening preparedness across health facilities to prevent further transmission.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow updates from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The minister also confirmed that the patient and her spouse had arrived safely in Switzerland after their evacuation on Monday.

According to Pate, the patient is receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospitals, while her spouse is in isolation at University Hospital Zurich.

He said the patient was clinically stable following treatment by Nigerian medical personnel before the evacuation.

Pate added that Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider had expressed appreciation for the care provided by Nigerian health workers and the cooperation between the two countries’ authorities and the WHO.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Professor Mohamed Janabi, had also said Nigeria currently had no Ebola cases following the evacuation of the infected patient and her spouse.

However, health authorities will continue contact monitoring and other containment measures as they work to prevent community transmission.

The possible December 7 declaration depends on Nigeria recording no further confirmed or probable cases and on the NCDC and WHO validating that the required 42-day period has elapsed.