Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient has been evacuated from Abuja aboard a medical air ambulance, following arrangements by the Federal Government to transfer her abroad for further medical care.

The 42-year-old woman, who is married to a Swiss diplomat based in Nigeria, departed early Monday through the private jet wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

ARISE News reported that its crew witnessed a convoy of ambulances and diplomatic vehicles arriving at the airport before obtaining footage of a medical evacuation aircraft involved in the operation.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, later confirmed the evacuation, stating that the patient travelled to Switzerland with her husband, who remains asymptomatic.

In a statement, Pate said the patient’s condition had improved significantly before the evacuation. She was stable, conscious and communicating, while her laboratory results were approaching baseline levels.

However, the minister cautioned that the improvement did not necessarily mean she was no longer infectious, adding that strict public health protocols were followed during the transfer.

He thanked the medical personnel who treated the patient and the public health teams who coordinated the evacuation.

53 Contacts Under Monitoring

The evacuation comes as Nigerian health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus.

As of the latest update, 53 primary contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified for monitoring. They include healthcare workers, household members and other individuals who may have been exposed to the patient.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) said contact tracing and surveillance activities were ongoing, with identified contacts monitored for symptoms during the 21-day incubation period.

The agency has urged Nigerians to cooperate with public health officials and rely on verified information from relevant authorities.

Pate said public health measures would continue across the country despite the patient’s evacuation, stressing that the government remained focused on containing the imported case.