Nigeria targets December 7 to declare Ebola outbreak over

The Federal Government says Nigeria could declare the Ebola outbreak over as early as December 7, 2026, if no further confirmed or probable cases are detected. Minister of Health Professor Muhammad Ali Pate said the date depends on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation validating the required 42-day countdown.

Pate disclosed this in a post on his official X page on Monday, October 26, 2026. He warned that any new case would restart the process.

Countdown depends on NCDC and WHO

Pate said the government’s immediate priorities after the medical evacuation of Nigeria’s imported Ebola index patient include monitoring identified contacts, investigating alerts and strengthening preparedness across health facilities. He described December 7 as provisional, subject to ongoing surveillance and validation by NCDC and WHO.

“Following the imported Ebola index patient’s medical evacuation from Nigeria today, 26 October, our immediate priorities remain active monitoring of all identified contacts, prompt investigation of alerts and strengthened readiness across our health facilities,” Pate said.

“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,” the post read in part.

He added that government teams were working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), state health authorities and development partners to contain the outbreak and prevent community transmission. He urged Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow public health guidance.

No remaining cases after evacuation

The WHO confirmed that Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases after the index patient and her husband were medically evacuated to Switzerland on Monday. WHO Regional Director for Africa Professor Mohamed Janabi said Nigerian healthcare professionals stabilised the patient after managing her through the most severe stage of the illness.

“With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” Janabi stated. The woman was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Nigeria is maintaining surveillance of 52 identified contacts, while Swiss health authorities have assumed responsibility for the patient’s ongoing treatment and monitoring of her husband, listed as the 53rd contact.

Surveillance of contacts continues

Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease on October 20, 2026. The NCDC said the patient, a 42-year-old woman who had recently returned from Uganda, arrived in Abuja on October 3 after travelling through Addis Ababa and began experiencing symptoms four days later. Her condition worsened and she was hospitalised at a private medical facility in Abuja before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.

The source of the infection remains uncertain. Genomic sequencing results released on October 23 showed closely related viral strains in the Nigerian patient and Kenya’s first confirmed Ebola patient. The outbreak has also affected parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya. Uganda was declared Ebola-free in August 2026 after completing the required observation period. Kenya has reported nine confirmed infections and two deaths.

Under WHO criteria, an Ebola outbreak can generally be declared over after 42 consecutive days without new cases, counted from the second negative test of the last confirmed patient or the patient’s death, where applicable. Any new case would require a fresh countdown, potentially pushing back the date.

For Nigerian consumers and businesses, the immediate signal is that no Ebola cases remain in the country and the response has moved into contact monitoring. The government is urging calm and cooperation with health teams as the countdown runs.