--- title: Ebola: WHO Declares Nigeria Free of Ebola description: It's been 42 days since the last new case canonical: https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-10-20T02:43:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:00:27.954Z article:section: Health og:title: Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right og:description: It's been 42 days since the last new case og:url: https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3b0f346f9e069f3/6987619455a8598462a834fa/rtr479ez.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: A school official takes a pupil's temperature using an infrared digital laser thermometer in front of the school premises, at the resumption of private schools, in Lagos og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right twitter:description: It's been 42 days since the last new case twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3b0f346f9e069f3/6987619455a8598462a834fa/rtr479ez.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a87408b8-786e-42e8-9883-e07de43403ae&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=a87408b8-786e-42e8-9883-e07de43403ae&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=a87408b8-786e-42e8-9883-e07de43403ae&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers [Watch (HLS stream): Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fwl31d5e.m3u8) (2:30)  _Published 2014-10-10. TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger takes on the media figures stirring up panic in the aftermath of the ebola outbreak._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 20, 2014 2:43 AM UTC  A school official takes a pupil's temperature using an infrared digital laser thermometer in front of the school premises, at the resumption of private schools, in Lagos, Sept. 22, 2014. A school official takes a pupil's temperature using an infrared digital laser thermometer in front of the school premises, at the resumption of private schools, in Lagos, Sept. 22, 2014. Akintunde Akinleye—Reuters by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Oct 20, 2014 2:43 AM UTC The World Health Organization declared Nigeria free of Ebola on Monday, a containment victory in an outbreak that has stymied other countries’ response efforts. The milestone came at about 11 a.m. local time, or 6 a.m., E.T. The outbreak has killed more than 4,500 in West Africa is remains unchecked in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, so Nigeria is by no means immune to another outbreak. “It’s possible to control Ebola. It’s possible to defeat Ebola. We’ve seen it here in Nigeria,” Nigerian Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu told TIME. “If any cases emerge in the future, it will be considered—by international standards—a separate outbreak. If that happens, Nigeria will be ready and able to confront it exactly as we have done with this outbreak.” For the WHO to declare Nigeria as Ebola-free, the country had to make it 42 days with no new cases (double the incubation period), verify that it actively sought out all possible contacts, and show negative test results for any suspected cases. Nigeria had [20 cases ](http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/136645/1/roadmapupdate17Oct14%5Feng.pdf?ua=1)of Ebola after a Liberian-American man named Patrick Sawyer flew into Lagos and collapsed at the airport. Health care workers treating Sawyer were infected, and as it spread it ultimately killed eight people, a low number next to the thousands of cases and deaths in other countries. Nigeria’s health system is considered more robust, but there was significant concern from experts that a case would pop up in one of the country’s dense-populated slums and catch fire. So what did Nigeria do right? Chukwu and Dr. Faisal Shuaib of the country’s Ebola Emergency Operation Center, broke it down for TIME. **Preparing early.** Nigeria knew it was possible a case of Ebola would make it into the country, so officials got to work early by training health care workers on how to manage the disease, and disseminating information so the country knew what to expect. **Declaring an emergency—right away.** When Nigeria had its first confirmed case of Ebola, the government declared a national public health emergency immediately. This allowed the Ministry of Health to form its Ebola Emergency Operations Center (EOC). The EOC is an assembly of public health experts within Nigeria as well as the WHO, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and groups like Doctors Without Borders. “\[We\] used a war-room approach to coordinate the outbreak response,” Shuaib said. “So you have a situation whereby government and staff of international development agencies are co-located in a designated facility where they are able to agree on strategies, develop one plan and implement this plan together.” The EOC was in charge of contact tracing (the process of identifying and monitoring people who may have had direct or indirect contact with Ebola patients), implementing strict procedures for handling and treating patients, screening all individuals arriving or departing the country by land, air and sea, and communicating with the community. Some workers went door-to-door to offer Ebola-related education, and others involved religious and professional leaders. Social media was a central part of the education response. **Training local doctors.** Nigerian doctors were trained by Doctors Without Borders and WHO, and treated patients in shifts with their oversight. **Managing fear. “**Expectedly, people were scared of contracting the disease,” Shuaib said. “In the beginning, there was also some misinformation about available cures, so fear and inaccurate rumors had to be actively managed.” Nigeria used social media to to ramp up awareness efforts, and publicized patients who were successfully treated and discharged. “People began to realize that contracting Ebola was not necessarily a death sentence,” Shuai said. “Emphasizing that reporting early to the hospital boosts survival gave comfort that \[a person\] has some level of control over the disease prognosis.” **Keeping borders open.** Nigeria has not closed its borders to travelers from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, saying the move would be counterproductive. “Closing borders tends to reinforce panic and the notion of helplessness,” Shuaib said. “When you close the legal points of entry, then you potentially drive people to use illegal passages, thus compounding the problem.” Shuaib said that if public health strategies are implemented, outbreaks can be controlled, and that closing borders would only stifle commercial activities in the countries whose economies are already struggling due to Ebola. **Remaining prepared for more patients.** Even though this outbreak was contained, Nigeria is not slowing down its training and preparations for the possibility of more cases. “Outbreak response preparedness is a continuous process that requires constant review of the level of the response mechanisms in place to ensure that the health system is ready to jump into action at all levels,” Shuaib said. “There is no alternative to preparedness.” **Advocating for more international response.** “The global community needs to consistently come together, act as one in any public health emergency, whether it is Ebola or a natural disaster.” Shuaib said. “While a lot has been done, it still falls short of what is necessary to get ahead of the curve. We must act now, not tomorrow, not next week.” _Read next:_ [_Dozens Who Had Contact With the First U.S. Ebola Patient Are in the Clear_](http://time.com/3524384/ebola-thomas-eric-duncan-contacts-containment/?xid=time%5Freadnext) ## Transcript Ebola in America . >> Out of control . >> Killer disease >> Spreading fast >> Ebola >> On the backs of ISIS >> There's a lot of panic >> Chilling, deadly, dangerous >> Scarier by the moment >> Shut down the flights, secure the borders . >> By now you've heard about Americas Ebola crisis, the disease has landed on our shores and a few blown epidemic is on the way. That's scary stuff, but almost none of it is true. And here's why. [ MUSIC ] There's no denying that Ebola is a terrifying disease. The current outbreak has struck about 7, 500 people in Africa so far. And almost half have died. The nature of that death with organs breaking down and bleeding out is one of the worst kinds of suffering imaginable. But put simply Ebola is not a easy virus to contract, while a disease like flu can be spread by shaking hands with someone who is infected, Ebola is spread by direct contact with bodily fluid such as the blood of vomit of someone who is infected. And symptomatic. A victim who was infected but not yet showing symptoms will typically not transmit the disease. But you won't hear that from the fear mongers, some of whom support clamping down on travel to and from the affected areas in Africa, which is exactly the wrong thing to do. According to the centers for disease control that would make it harder to get doctors and medical supplies back and fourth perhaps crippling efforts to wipe out the disease at its source and while cable news speculates that a terrorist infected with Ebola could board mass transit and spread the disease to everyone on board that could happen only if all of the passengers sat patiently. While the terrorist went from one to another, and bled or vomited on each, with their full cooperation. So, should we be afraid of Ebola? Of course. It's a very lethal and very ugly disease. But is America in any immediate danger? [ MUSIC ] No. Our real job is to care for the people who were infected, sensibly protect those who aren't, and lend our considerable resources to battling the disease in Africa, where people have no time for this silly luxury of fear mongers [ UNKNOWN ] [ MUSIC ] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/"},"headline":"Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right","datePublished":"2014-10-20T02:43:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T08:00:27.954Z","description":"It's been 42 days since the last new case","url":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","keywords":["ebola","WHO","Nigeria","West Africa","Ebola outbreak","senegal"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3b0f346f9e069f3/6987619455a8598462a834fa/rtr479ez.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd3b0f346f9e069f3/6987619455a8598462a834fa/rtr479ez.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A school official takes a pupil's temperature using an infrared digital laser thermometer in front of the school premises, at the resumption of private schools, in Lagos","caption":"A school official takes a pupil's temperature using an infrared digital laser thermometer in front of the school premises, at the resumption of private schools, in Lagos","creditText":"Akintunde Akinleye—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/ebola/","name":"ebola"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","name":"Nigeria Is Ebola-Free: Here's What They Did Right"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Contact Tracing: How To Trace The Spread of Ebola","description":"Health officials in the US are using a method known as contact tracing, to see who is at risk from Ebola.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/EJ3m56cA/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-10-02T18:25:06.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/EJ3m56cA.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","duration":"PT1M49S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"What Do You Pack To Fight Ebola?","description":"CDC Officer Rebecca Merrill with a look at what she has packed for her trip to Liberia to fight ebola","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/i7eUsW0B/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-08-11T22:26:13.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/i7eUsW0B.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","duration":"PT1M11S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Science Cop: Ebola Fear Mongers","description":"TIME's Science Cop Jeffrey Kulger takes on the media figures stirring up panic in the aftermath of the ebola outbreak.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Fwl31d5e/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-10-10T20:03:51.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Fwl31d5e.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/","duration":"PT2M30S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3522984/ebola-nigeria-who/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```