Misleading claims that Nigeria is 'Ebola-free' ignore WHO's 42-day rule

After the World Health Organization's (WHO) regional director for Africa said Nigeria had "no Ebola cases" following the medical evacuation of the country's only confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland on October 26, posts and headlines inaccurately suggested the country was "Ebola-free". However, these remarks have been misrepresented online. Under its own criteria, the WHO will only declare an Ebola outbreak to be over after 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed or probable case.