Who declares Nigeria Ebola-free

THE World Health Organisation
has declared the end of the
Ebola outbreak in Nigeria.
WHO recommendations say
the end of an Ebola outbreak
in a country can be declared
once 42 days have passed
and no new cases have been
detected. This 42-day period
starts from the last day that
any person in the country had
contact with a confirmed or
probable Ebola case.
The Ebola virus was
introduced into Nigeria on July
20 when an infected Liberian
man arrived by air in Lagos.
The man, who died in hospital
five days later, set off a chain
of transmission that infected
19 people, seven of whom
died. On October 20, Nigeria
reached that 42-day mark and
was considered free of Ebola
transmission, WHO said in a
statement.
The Nigerian government
and staff in the WHO country
office are well aware that the
country remains vulnerable
to another imported case.
The surveillance system
remains at a level of high
alert. “Nigeria has revised its
national preparedness and
response plan to ensure that
the country is well prepared for
other imported cases of the
disease.”