October 20 in History: WHO Declares Nigeria Ebola-Free

On October 20, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Nigeria free of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

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The declaration came after the country successfully completed 42 days – twice the incubation period of the virus without recording any new case of the deadly disease.

WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, made the declaration in Abuja, describing Nigeria’s containment of the virus as a “spectacular success story” and a model for other countries.

“Nigeria is now free of Ebola,” Vaz announced at a press briefing attended by federal government officials and international partners.

The outbreak began on July 20, 2014, when Liberian-American, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, imported the virus into Lagos. The country subsequently recorded 19 confirmed cases, including Sawyer, with 7 deaths.

Among those who died was Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, the Senior Consultant Physician at First Consultants Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos, who led the effort to prevent Sawyer from leaving the hospital and spreading the virus.

About 20,000 contacts were traced and monitored across Lagos and Port Harcourt, where secondary infections were recorded.

The Federal Government, Lagos State Government, health workers, and international partners including WHO, CDC, and MSF were commended for the swift, coordinated response that halted the spread.

With the declaration, Nigeria became the first country in West Africa to successfully contain and defeat the 2014 Ebola outbreak, which ravaged Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

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