By The Metro 
Nigeria has evacuated the country’s confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland for further medical care, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammed Ali Pate, has confirmed.
The 42-year-old woman, Nigeria’s first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease, departed Abuja on Monday alongside her husband, who has remained asymptomatic.
In a statement posted on X, the minister said the patient was clinically stable and had shown significant improvement before the evacuation.
He said her laboratory test results were also moving towards baseline, but warned that the improvement did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious.
“This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place,” the minister said.
He explained that the evacuation was carried out with his approval and in line with established public health measures for the safe transfer of infectious disease patients.
The minister commended the clinical team for the quality of care provided to the patient, as well as public health personnel who ensured that the evacuation complied with the required safety protocols.
He said further updates would be provided after the patient and her husband arrived safely at their destination.
Meanwhile, public health authorities are continuing surveillance, contact tracing and other containment measures to prevent further transmission of the virus.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has identified 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case, who are being monitored.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely on credible sources for information as the country continues efforts to contain the imported infection.