US teams are headed to Nigeria to learn about its success in using ‘contact tracing’ a significant practical step that limited the spread of the virus.

The possibility that Ebola would reach and spread in Nigeria was broached with great trepidation by public health experts. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country.

But those doubts proved wrong. This week, teams of American health officials are Lagos-bound to learn from Nigeria’s experience in defying expectations and stopping the outbreak before it could wreak havoc.

Since July 20, the day Nigeria’s so-called “Patient Zero” arrived in Lagos, officials have recorded a total of only 19 cases, with no new cases since Aug. 31. Last week, on the same day the US confirmed its first case of Ebola, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) proclaimed that Nigeria had stopped its outbreak.