Thursday, August 21, 2014

EBOLA Virus: Five New Ebola Cases Reported In Lagos

Over a month after the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, came to Nigeria with the deadly Ebola Virus, five more people have been reportedly diagnosed with the disease in Lagos. A Liberian is believed to be among them.


Premium Times reports today, August 20, 2014 that according to the Lagos State authorities five other people have been brought to the Yaba Mainland Hospital in Lagos with the symptoms of Ebola. Another Liberian and four Nigerians may be in this group.

Information about the foreigner being diagnosed became available in the early hours of today through a Senior Registrar with Igbobi Orthopaedic hospital, Lagos, Dr Akindele Akintayo, while speaking at a Morning Television programme monitored  in Lagos. It has however been confirmed that five new cases have been recorded this week, with two contacting it secondarily.

However, Nigerians have been warned cautiously to desist from dead bodies as it has been noticed that two of the new cases got the deadly disease from secondary contact. Making it known again that aside from body fluids from infected persons, Nigerians must be overtly careful and be clean. The Commissioner of Health in Lagos, Dr. Jide Idris, said:

“Burial ceremonies where mourners including family members have direct contact with patients who died of Ebola have also played a role in the spread and direct contact with dead bodies should be minimized at this period, even as washing and burial/disposal of such bodies should be professionally handled with safety to personal health of handlers being a cardinal focus.”

The commissioner urged Lagos residents not to panic as health personnel are in place to manage the current cases, while efforts are doubled to secure the services of more volunteers to cope with any contingency.

“Certain concerns have been raised regarding those already discharged. I wish to re-assure you that the discharge process was in line with WHO International Health Regulations and they are still being followed up. No recorded carrier state in person that have recovered from the disease has been recorded,” he added.
World Health Organization’s recent Ebola update made it known that there are now 2,240 cases confirmed, while it has recorded 1,229 deaths since its outbreak in West Africa.


Culled from: naij

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