A Swiss woman diagnosed with Ebola in Nigeria was medically evacuated to Switzerland on Monday alongside her husband, Nigerian and Swiss officials confirmed. The woman, who was Nigeria’s first confirmed case in the current outbreak, had tested positive after returning to Abuja from Uganda, where she is believed to have contracted the virus.

Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Pate stated that the woman’s condition had improved significantly; she was stable, conscious, and able to communicate at the time of evacuation. Her husband, a Swiss diplomat based in Nigeria, showed no symptoms but was isolated as a precaution. Both were flown to Switzerland on a medical evacuation flight, with the woman receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospital, while her husband remained in isolation at Zurich University Hospital. Swiss health authorities have reported no risk to the public in Switzerland.

The World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, explained that Nigerian medical teams stabilized the woman through the acute phase of her illness before the evacuation. He noted that the decision to transfer the couple was related to their Swiss citizenship and that Nigeria continues to monitor 52 people who had contact with the woman as part of ongoing containment efforts. Pate emphasized the importance of vigilance in Nigeria, where health protocols remain in place despite no additional confirmed cases.

Authorities in Nigeria have not yet established the exact source of the woman’s infection. She reportedly contracted the virus during recent travel to Uganda, a country that had reported Ebola cases but later declared itself free of the virus. This case stands in contrast to the persistent outbreak ongoing in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where health officials have recorded more than 9,900 cases and over 4,800 deaths since May.

Meanwhile, neighboring Kenya has begun releasing people from quarantine after exposure to its first Ebola case. Twenty individuals were released on Monday, with additional releases scheduled for the following week.

This evacuation marks a significant development in efforts to control the spread of Ebola in the region. Nigerian authorities continue to focus on monitoring potential contacts, while Switzerland has taken responsibility for the care of the evacuated patients. The situation remains under close observation by international health organizations.