Nigeria’s index case of the imported Ebola virus disease was on Monday morning evacuated to home country, Switzerland for further care.
Minister of Health, Ali Pate, disclosed that the patient departed Abuja earlier Monday with his approval, adding that her spouse, who has remained asymptomatic, accompanied her.
The Minister said in a statement that the patient’s clinical condition had improved significantly before the evacuation.
According to him, the patient was stable, conscious and able to communicate, while her laboratory test results were approaching baseline levels.
But Pate warned that the improvement did not necessarily mean the patient was no longer infectious, stressing that strict public health protocols remained in place.
“The index patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious, communicating, and her clinical laboratory test results closing towards baseline. This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place,” he said.
Pate commended the clinical personnel who treated the patient, as well as public health officials who coordinated the evacuation in accordance with established public health measures.
The Minister said the government would provide further updates later Monday after the patient and her spouse had arrived safely at their destination.
Pate assured Nigerians that public health measures were ongoing to contain the imported virus, urging citizens to remain vigilant and obtain information from credible sources.
“All public health measures are continuing to ensure successful containment of the imported virus. I urge Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely on information from credible sources,” he said.
The minister did not, however, provide further details about the circumstances of the evacuation or the treatment arrangements in Switzerland.
