Nigeria not declared Ebola-free – WHO releases new assertion

The World Health Organisation has clarified that Nigeria has not been declared Ebola-free, regardless of having no lively confirmed case within the nation following the medical evacuation of its index affected person. The affected person was flown to Switzerland by air ambulance on Monday, October 26, for additional medical remedy. Her husband was additionally evacuated.

Following the evacuation, WHO Regional Director for Africa Mohamed Janabi mentioned Nigeria at present had no Ebola instances. Some platforms interpreted the assertion to imply that the nation had been declared Ebola-free. However, in a submit on X on Monday, October 26, the WHO mentioned that interpretation was inaccurate and deceptive.

“WHO has not declared Nigeria Ebola-free. Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland,” the organisation said. The WHO mentioned the absence of an lively confirmed case didn’t quantity to an official declaration that the outbreak had ended. It added that well being officers have been monitoring 52 contacts who could have been uncovered to the virus.

According to the organisation, a rustic may be declared Ebola-free after a 42-day interval following the final confirmed affected person testing unfavourable twice for the virus. The WHO mentioned the countdown additionally applies in Nigeria’s present state of affairs following the evacuation.

The 42-day interval is adopted by heightened surveillance to detect any doable new infections. The WHO known as on the media organisation chargeable for the Ebola-free headline to retract and proper it, describing the headline as an inaccurate interpretation of the regional director’s earlier submit.