The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended Nigeria's government, health workers and emergency responders after all 62 contacts linked to the country's imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period without any secondary infection.

The WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced the development in a statement posted on his X account on Friday, describing it as a significant achievement in Nigeria's efforts to contain the outbreak.

He congratulated the authorities and health workers for preventing further transmission, while assuring that the organisation would sustain its support and heightened vigilance.

The development followed an announcement by the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr Jide Idris, that the last identified contact completed monitoring and was discharged on November 13.

Idris said 13 of the 62 contacts had reported fever or other non-specific symptoms during the monitoring period, but laboratory tests confirmed that none had contracted the virus.

He also disclosed that seven suspected cases reported across Adamawa, Rivers, Borno, Lagos and Ekiti states within the preceding three weeks were investigated, with all testing negative.

The imported case was confirmed on October 20 after a 42-year-old woman who had travelled from Uganda arrived in Abuja on October 3 through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

She developed symptoms on October 7 and was admitted to a private health facility on October 11. The NCDC was notified on October 19, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection the following day.

The patient was subsequently evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 for further medical treatment and was discharged from hospital on November 11 after recovering.

Despite the successful completion of contact monitoring, Idris cautioned that the development did not constitute a formal declaration that the outbreak had ended.

He said Nigeria would maintain heightened surveillance, noting that the NCDC's National Emergency Operations Centre remained activated at Level Three to coordinate response activities.

The agency reiterated the importance of early detection, prompt reporting of suspected infections and continued vigilance among healthcare workers and members of the public.