spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, as many of them
expressed their fears for the dreaded disease by refusing handshakes,
displaying use of hand sterilizers among other preventive measures to
protect themselves, during a public hearing on the disease, Ebola in
Abuja, today.
Ebola Virus in Nigeria: From left, Minister of Health, Oyebuchi Chukwu
greeting Honorable Members from afar to avoid contact of Ebola Virus
during Public Hearing on Ebola Virus at National Abuja .
The session which was chaired by Chairman House Committee on Health
Hon. Ndidi Elumelu, was also attended by Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the
Health Minister.
The Health Minister disclosed today that a nurse who was among the
medical personnel that attended to the late Liberian-American,
Patrick Sawyer, who died of Ebola virus in Lagos on July 25, has died
of the same disease.
"Nigeria has now recorded 7 confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease
(EVB)" health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said.
Those who have died include the "index patient," a Liberian who
brought the virus to Lagos on July 20, and a nurse who treated him,
the minister added.
"All the Nigerians diagnosed with EBV were primary contacts" of
Patrick Sawyer, who worked for Liberia's finance ministry and
contracted the virus from his sister, Chukwu said.
Patrick Sawyer travelled to Nigeria, Africa's most populous country,
for a meeting of west African officials.
Visibly sick upon arrival at the international airport in Lagos,
officials said he was immediately transferred to the First Consultants
hospital in the upmarket Ikoyi neighbourhood.
He died in quarantine on July 25 and the hospital has since been closed.
The five Ebola patients are being treated in an isolation ward in
Lagos, the minister told journalists.
Since breaking out earlier this year, the tropical virus has claimed
almost 900 lives and infected more than 1,603 people across west
Africa. The other cases have been reported in Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone.
During the public hearing on Ebola virus today
Ebola Virus in Nigeria: From right, Chairman House Committee on
Health Hon. Ndidi Elumelu greeting Minister of State for Health,
Kaliru Alihassan and Minister of Health, Oyebuchi Chukwu from afar as
to avoid contact of Ebola Virus during Public Hearing on Ebola Virus
at National Abuja .
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