An Ebola patient has been evacuated from Nigeria to Switzerland aboard a medical air ambulance, Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate has confirmed, as health authorities intensify efforts to contain an outbreak of Bundibugyo virus disease that has also affected Kenya.
In an update posted on his X page on Monday, Pate said the patient, identified as Nigeria’s first imported case of Ebola virus disease, departed Abuja earlier in the morning with his approval.
The minister said the woman was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and able to communicate, with her clinical laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.
However, Pate cautioned that her improvement did not mean she was no longer infectious, adding that strict public health protocols remained in place throughout the evacuation.
The patient was flown to Switzerland alongside her spouse, who had remained asymptomatic, according to the minister.
Pate thanked the clinical teams who treated the patient and public health personnel who coordinated the evacuation, saying the operation was conducted in line with appropriate public health measures.
He said the government would provide a further update after the patient and her spouse landed safely at their destination.
“All public health measures are continuing to ensure successful containment of the imported virus,” Pate said, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely on credible information.
The confirmation followed a report by ARISE News that the woman, described as the wife of a Swiss diplomat based in Nigeria, was being evacuated from Abuja aboard a medical evacuation aircraft.
The broadcaster reported that its crew observed ambulances and diplomatic vehicles entering the private aviation section of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. Airport officials reportedly cordoned off the area before the outlet obtained footage of the aircraft and its crew.
The minister’s statement subsequently confirmed Switzerland as the destination, resolving earlier uncertainty over where the patient was being taken.
Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease on October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests detected the infection in a woman who had travelled from Uganda.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the patient arrived in Nigeria on October 3, developed symptoms on October 7 and sought medical attention in Abuja on October 11. Her infection was confirmed on October 20.
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has since coordinated contact tracing, isolation and infection prevention measures to limit the risk of further transmission.
In an update issued on October 25, the agency said 53 contacts linked to the confirmed case had been identified and were being followed up.
A further update reported by ARISE News on Monday said two suspected cases in Nigeria, one in the Federal Capital Territory and another in Rivers State, had tested negative.
Authorities have continued monitoring identified contacts as investigations into the source of the infection and the patient's travel history proceed.
Although the patient’s clinical condition had improved by the time of evacuation, the minister emphasised that precautions remained necessary because she could still be infectious.
The evacuation comes as Kenya continues responding to its own imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease.
Kenya confirmed its first case on October 6 after a Kenyan man who had been living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) travelled to Nairobi through Uganda.
The patient arrived in Nairobi by air on October 3, was admitted to hospital and tested positive for the virus. He died on October 5.
By October 20, Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases, including one death, according to the WHO. The eight additional cases were linked to the initial patient and included four relatives and four healthcare workers.
All eight were identified as contacts of the first patient, with no evidence of wider community transmission reported at that time.
The cases highlight the challenges health authorities face in containing infectious diseases across borders, particularly when patients travel internationally before their infections are detected.
Nigeria and Kenya are continuing surveillance, contact tracing and other public health measures to prevent further transmission of Bundibugyo virus disease.
Health officials have urged the public to follow guidance from credible authorities as investigations and monitoring continue.