The Federal Ministry of Health has reported signs of recovery in Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient, while maintaining that there is no current evidence of community transmission.
The ministry disclosed this on Friday, October 23, in an update on the country’s Ebola response published on its official X account.
According to the update, health authorities are continuing contact tracing, quarantine and monitoring, alongside efforts to improve preparedness at health facilities and coordinate the national response.
“The Federal Government has provided an update on the confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria, reporting that the patient is showing signs of recovery. There is currently no evidence of community spread,” the statement reads.
“Contact tracing, quarantine and monitoring continue, alongside strengthened national coordination, health facility preparedness and public health measures.
“Nigerians are encouraged to follow recommended precautions, rely on information from recognised health authorities and avoid sharing unverified reports.”
The announcement comes two days after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed that the patient had developed multi-organ failure after contracting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
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Nigeria confirmed the case on October 20 after laboratory tests detected the virus in the woman, who had received treatment at a private hospital in Abuja.
Her nationality and travel history have since attracted conflicting accounts from health officials and international authorities.
Ugandan authorities initially described the patient as Nigerian, but Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said she was born in Uganda.
On Thursday, Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs identified her as the Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat stationed in Abuja.
The department said she was believed to have contracted the virus during a recent trip to Uganda.
Her husband, who travelled with her, has been placed in isolation but has not developed symptoms, according to the Swiss authorities.
Investigations into the source of the Ebola virus infection are continuing, with officials examining the patient’s travel history and other possible exposure routes.
The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to observe recommended public health precautions, obtain updates from recognised health authorities and refrain from circulating unverified information as containment efforts continue.