The headline of this news story is inaccurate and misleading. WHO has not declared Nigeria Ebola‑free. Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland. Health officials are closely monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed.

Under the International Health Regulations, a country can only be declared Ebola‑free after a 42‑day countdown following the last confirmed case testing negative twice for the virus or, in this situation, after the evacuation of the confirmed case. This period is then followed by heightened surveillance.

WHO requests that this headline be retracted and corrected. It is an inaccurate interpretation of the X post made by the WHO Regional Director for Africa.

@WHOAFRO