Nigerian Health Authorities Evacuate Ebola Patient Abroad

Nigeria's index Ebola patient, a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus disease, was evacuated on Monday at approximately 6am from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The woman, who is the wife of a Swiss diplomat, was transported by ambulance from the Abuja city centre to the airport, where she was escorted by diplomatic vehicles to a designated section before being flown out on a medical aircraft.

This evacuation is part of a broader effort by Nigerian health authorities to contain any potential spread of the disease. Currently, 53 individuals who may have come into contact with the patient have been identified and placed in isolation.

The Bundibugyo strain is known to cause severe haemorrhagic fever and was first identified during an outbreak in Uganda's Bundibugyo district in 2007.