Nigeria’s Ebola index patient has recovered and been discharged from a hospital in Switzerland after testing negative for the virus, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has announced.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing, providing an update on the patient who was medically evacuated to Switzerland on October 26, 2026, after receiving initial treatment in Nigeria.
Idris said laboratory tests conducted upon the patient’s arrival in Switzerland confirmed that she was still positive for the virus.
However, following further treatment and medical care, she recovered, tested negative and was subsequently discharged from the hospital.
“The patient received clinical care in Nigeria before being medically evacuated to Switzerland for further management on the 26th of October.
“Laboratory tests were conducted upon arrival in Switzerland and found that she was still positive for the virus.
“Following further treatment and care, we are pleased to report that the patient has recovered, subsequently tested negative for the virus, and has been successfully discharged from the hospital in Switzerland,” Idris said.
Nigeria confirmed the Ebola case on October 20, 2026, after a female Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of the virus in Abuja.
The patient had travelled to Uganda before returning to Nigeria, where she developed symptoms and sought medical attention at a private health facility.
Her diagnosis prompted an emergency public health response, including contact tracing, surveillance and monitoring of individuals who might have been exposed to the virus.
She was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland alongside her husband, who was identified as a close contact, for further medical management.
The NCDC’s latest announcement confirms her recovery and discharge following treatment in Switzerland.
