Nigeria Could Declare Ebola Outbreak Over Dec. 7 – Health Minister Pate

Nigeria could declare its Ebola outbreak over as early as Dec. 7 if no further confirmed or probable cases are detected, Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate has said.

Pate disclosed this Monday following the medical evacuation of the country’s only confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland.

In a post on X, he said the government’s immediate priorities were monitoring identified contacts, investigating reports of possible infections and strengthening preparedness across health facilities.

“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,” Pate said.

He stressed that the date was not final, adding that it remained “provisional, subject to NCDC and WHO validating the 42-day countdown.”

The minister warned that “any further case would require a fresh countdown in accordance with those criteria.”

He said response teams were working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration, state health authorities and other partners to contain the virus and prevent its spread within communities.

“Our teams, working with FCTA and state health authorities and our partners, remain focused on containment and preventing community transmission,” Pate said.

He urged Nigerians to “remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow regular updates from NCDC and FMoH.”

Nigeria confirmed its first case of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola on Oct. 20 after a woman who had travelled from Uganda tested positive in Abuja.

The patient was evacuated to Switzerland on Monday alongside her husband, who had remained without symptoms.

Pate said the patient was stable, conscious and had clinically improved before the transfer.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 53 contacts had been identified as of Oct. 24.

Authorities have continued monitoring contacts and investigating possible exposures.

Under World Health Organisation criteria, the outbreak can be declared over after the required 42-day period without further cases, subject to official validation.