Nigeria’s evacuated Ebola patient has arrived in Switzerland and is receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospital, while her husband remains isolated in Zurich as health authorities continue containment measures.
Nigeria’s evacuated Bundibugyo Ebola patient has arrived in Switzerland and is receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospital, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has confirmed.
Pate disclosed this in a post on his X handle on Monday night, adding that the patient’s husband was being isolated at University Hospital Zurich following their medical evacuation from Nigeria.
He said Swiss authorities had confirmed the safe arrival of the couple, both Swiss nationals, and assured that the hospitals were equipped to manage the cases while protecting healthcare workers and other patients.
According to Pate, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health also confirmed that the situation posed no risk to public health in Switzerland.
The minister said Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider expressed appreciation during a telephone conversation for the care Nigerian health professionals provided to the two nationals before their evacuation.
Baume-Schneider also acknowledged the close cooperation between Nigerian and Swiss authorities, alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), which facilitated the medical evacuation.
Pate commended the clinical and public health teams in both countries, as well as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health and WHO Nigeria, for their collaboration.
He also wished the patient continued recovery.
Meanwhile, Pate said contact monitoring, the investigation of alerts and other containment measures were continuing in Nigeria, with support from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and WHO Africa.
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health said the couple arrived in Switzerland on Monday aboard a medical evacuation flight from Nigeria.
It explained that Geneva University Hospital and University Hospital Zurich had been equipped since 2019 as reference centres for treating patients with diseases such as Ebola.
According to the office, the facilities have isolation wards and trained medical personnel to manage such cases. It added that it was liaising with the hospitals and relevant cantonal authorities.
Nigeria confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease on October 20, 2026, involving a woman who had recently travelled from Uganda.
On Monday, Pate announced that the patient had been evacuated to Switzerland after her clinical condition improved.
The authorities have continued to monitor contacts and implement containment measures to prevent further transmission of the virus.
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