Bodies Of Ebola Victims Cremated In Lagos

Bodies of the four Nigerians, who died of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD)
have been cremated in line with World Health Organisation (WHO)
requirements for disposal of such corpses.

The decision to cremate the bodies, it was gathered, may not be
unconnected with the deadly nature of the Ebola Virus which is known
to be easily transmissible from human to human, especially during
handling of corpses of victims.

The body of the index (first) case, Patrick Sawyer was the first to be
cremated on July 25, 2014.

A health official at the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) of the
Mainland Hospital, Lagos, who confirmed the development, said the
Lagos State Government in following strict guidelines for disposal of
the bodies, authorised cremation of all the bodies.

The official who pleaded anonymity said the decision to cremate all
bodies was to ensure appropriate containment measures and guarantee
proper handling of the bodies.

"All the bodies of those who died of Ebola from this centre have been
cremated. None was allowed to undergo traditional burial because
extreme care is being taken to prevent further infections," the
official noted.

The WHO in recommending that people who die from Ebola should be
promptly and safely buried, notes that cremation, which is the
application of high temperature to reduce bodies to basic chemical
components (ashes), is ideal for safe disposal of bodies of such
persons in order to minimise further transmission.