‘We’re Not Out of the Woods’ — NCDC Says Ebola Contact Tracing Continues

Jide Idris, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), says contact tracing for Ebola virus disease in the country is ongoing.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Monday, Idris said the evacuation of the index case from Nigeria did not mean that the country was “out of the woods”.

He said three primary contacts tested on Monday returned negative, adding that the agency would begin tracing secondary contacts who might have interacted with them.

“They turned out negative. But again, those were primary contacts; we are still going to follow up,” he said.

“Now we are going to go systematically to each contact to look for secondary contacts because those ones too either might have gone home or might have met their friends again. It takes history again. We are not out of the woods yet.

“Until we are sure, we have all the contacts who have been followed up. So, we are still not out of the woods. Because the index case is out doesn’t mean that we don’t have that.”

The NCDC director-general said although Nigeria had no active Ebola cases, contacts still needed to be monitored.

“We don’t have an active positive case. But we have contacts. We need to follow up,” he said.

Idris said any of the contacts who developed symptoms, including fever, would be tested to determine whether they had contracted the virus.

“No, anyone who is symptomatic will be tested to be sure,” he said.

“And the ones who felt fever and that kind of thing will be tested. We tested three today, and it turned out negative.”

According to Idris, contacts must be monitored for between two and 21 days, the incubation period for Ebola.

Idris said the number of secondary contacts was not yet known.

“You have to follow them for between 2 and 21 days. That is the incubation period. And again, after 21 days, you follow up for 21 days again,” he said.

“Before you say, ‘Okay, this is Ebola-free’, and after 21 days, you test again. It’s negative.

“You can allow them to go. So, for secondary contact, we don’t know how many until you start taking them in.”

BACK STORY

Earlier on Monday, Nigeria’s index Ebola case was evacuated to Switzerland for further treatment.

The 42-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease, was airlifted from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by a medical plane at about 6am.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said her husband remained asymptomatic.

“I confirm that, with my approval, earlier this morning, the index case for Nigeria’s first imported Ebola virus disease departed Abuja for Switzerland,” Pate said in an X post.

Later, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases after the index patient and her husband, who are both Swiss citizens, were evacuated to Switzerland.