Ebola: Nigeria Targets December 7 to Declare Outbreak Over, Says Pate

Nigeria may declare the current Ebola outbreak over on December 7, 2026, if surveillance detects no additional confirmed or probable cases following the evacuation of the imported index patient to Switzerland for medical care.

Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, announced the tentative timeline on Monday, noting that authorities were stepping up efforts to monitor contacts, investigate suspected infections and reinforce preparedness across healthcare facilities.

Pate, in a statement shared on his X handle, said the proposed date would depend on the completion and validation of the mandatory 42-day period without further confirmed or probable cases.

He explained that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) would be responsible for validating the countdown in line with established outbreak management guidelines.

The minister’s announcement came after Nigeria’s imported index patient was medically evacuated to Switzerland, with authorities maintaining surveillance and containment measures to prevent the disease from spreading within communities.

According to Pate, “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.

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

Pate clarified that the December 7 timeline should not be interpreted as a confirmed date for ending the outbreak, as any new confirmed or probable case would restart the countdown under the relevant criteria.

He said health authorities were continuing to coordinate with the FCTA, state health authorities and partners to strengthen containment efforts and avert community transmission.

The minister appealed to Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing officials and obtain updates from verified government health channels.

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

“I ask Nigerians to remain calm, cooperate with contact-tracing teams and follow regular updates from @NCDCgov and @Fmohnigeria,” Pate said.

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