Nigeria officially declared Ebola free by W.H.O

scientist with personal protective equipment (PPE) testing samples from animals collected in Zaire for the Ebola virus.

By Photo Credit: Content Providers(s): CDC/ Ethleen Lloyd [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The world health organization, WHO on Monday officially declare Nigeria free of the dreaded Ebola virus. The declaration took place on Monday, 10^th of October at 10 a.m GMTafter the country has not recorded a new case of the virus for 42 days equivalent to two incubation periods.

The Ebola virus got into Nigeria when a US and Liberia citizen, Patrick Sawyer came into  the  country while infected with the virus. He fell ill at the Lagos airport and was admitted at the First Consultants Hospital, Obalende, in Lagos.

While the outbreak lasted, 20 people got infected, of which eight died, most of who were medical staffs of  First Consultants Hospital, Obalende, in Lagos. This number is very small compared to other countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea where the Ebola Virus has killed thousands.

WHO representative, Rui Gama Vaz, said of the Nigerian achievement:

“This is a spectacular success story … It shows that Ebola can be contained but we must be clear that we have only won a battle, the war will only end when West Africa is also declared free of Ebola”.