The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has confirmed that Nigeria’s Ebola patient and her spouse arrived safely in Switzerland on Monday following their medical evacuation from Nigeria.

Pate said the patient is now receiving treatment at Geneva University Hospitals, while her spouse, who was identified as a close contact, has been placed in isolation at University Hospital Zurich.

“The Swiss authorities have confirmed that the patient and her spouse arrived safely in Switzerland today. She is receiving care at Geneva University Hospitals, while her spouse is in isolation at University Hospital Zurich,” Pate said.

The Minister disclosed that Swiss Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider personally telephoned him following their arrival.

According to Pate, the Swiss official expressed appreciation for the medical care provided to the patient and her spouse in Nigeria, as well as the cooperation between Nigerian authorities, Switzerland and the World Health Organisation that facilitated the evacuation.

“In our telephone conversation, Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider conveyed Switzerland’s appreciation for the care provided by Nigerian health professionals and the close cooperation between our authorities and the World Health Organisation that made the evacuation possible,” he said.

Pate also commended the Nigerian and Swiss clinical and public health teams involved in managing the case and coordinating the evacuation.

“I thank the clinical and public-health teams in Nigeria and Switzerland, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs and WHO Nigeria for their cooperation, and wish the patient continued recovery,” he said.

The Minister stressed that the patient’s departure from Nigeria had not brought domestic public health measures to an end.

He said contact monitoring, investigation of alerts and other containment measures were continuing in Nigeria with support from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation Regional Office for Africa.

“Here in Nigeria, contact monitoring, investigation of alerts and other containment measures continue, with support from Africa CDC and WHO AFRO. We will provide regular updates through the NCDC and the Federal Ministry of Health,” Pate said.

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health also confirmed the development in a notice issued from Bern on October 26, 2026, titled, “Ebola case and close contact being treated in Switzerland.”

According to the Swiss authorities, the woman infected with Ebola is being treated at Geneva University Hospital, while her husband is in isolation at Zurich University Hospital.

“A woman infected with Ebola is currently being treated at Geneva University Hospital (HUG). Her husband, identified as a close contact, is in isolation at Zurich University Hospital (USZ). Both individuals arrived in Switzerland today on a medical evacuation flight from Nigeria,” the notice stated.

The Swiss authorities said both hospitals were equipped to handle such cases and had the capacity to protect healthcare workers and other patients.

“The HUG and the USZ are equipped to deal with such cases and can manage the individuals concerned while at the same time ensuring the safety both of staff and of all other patients. This situation does not pose any risk to the population in Switzerland,” the statement said.

The notice also disclosed that the patient and her husband are both Swiss citizens who were repatriated from Nigeria through a medical evacuation flight.

It further stated that Switzerland had maintained specialist facilities for the treatment of diseases such as Ebola for more than a decade.

“Since 2015, two reference hospitals in Switzerland, the University Hospitals of Geneva and Zurich, have been equipped to treat patients with diseases such as Ebola. Both hospitals have the necessary infrastructure, including isolation wards, and trained medical staff to care for patients with such infections,” the Swiss authorities said.

The Federal Office of Public Health explained that Ebola virus disease is a serious illness capable of spreading through close contact with a symptomatic infected person or an infected animal.

“Ebola virus disease is a serious illness that can be transmitted through close contact with a symptomatic person or with an infected animal,” the notice stated.

The Swiss statement also confirmed that Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider personally expressed her appreciation to Pate and thanked Nigerian healthcare workers for the care provided to the two Swiss nationals before their evacuation.

She also acknowledged the Nigerian authorities and the World Health Organisation for what Switzerland described as close cooperation that helped make the repatriation possible.

Meanwhile, Nigerian health authorities have maintained that domestic containment measures remain active, with contact monitoring and investigation of alerts continuing despite the patient’s evacuation to Switzerland.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________