One of the doctors that attended to the Liberian who imported Ebola virus disease into Lagos, has tested positive, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, confirmed on Monday.
It will be recalled that the first case of Ebola virus in Nigeria was reported when a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, tested positive to the deadly virus on arrival from Monrovia in Lagos, and died few days after.
Also, the Minister said the result of the second doctor who was symptomatic is also being awaited, promising that it would be made public.
According to Chukwu, eight of the 70 people who had contact with the Liberian are already under quarantine while the remaining 62 are under surveillance.
Briefing newsmen on the current situation of the virus in the country, the Minister said, “Earlier on last week, two people who had symptoms were tested and they were negative but they were other whose samples have been taken and amongst them, the second case is one of them and it has been proven to be Ebola Virus Disease.
“By the weekend, there were others who also participated in attending to that particular patient and these other newer people who did not have symptoms at the time we addressed you developed symptoms over the weekend and as at today, we have the test of those health personnel who have now become Ebola Positive and it’s been treated as such.
“So, if we are keeping records, this is now the second case of Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria and this new case is one of the doctors who attended to the patient who imported the disease into Nigeria.
“As I speak also, three others who participated in that treatment who are currently symptomatic had their samples taken and hopefully by the end of today, we will have the result of their own test.
“So, two cases so far, one is dead and one is alive and he is been managed as a case of Ebola Virus Disease. The other issue now is that by the end of today, 8 of those who have had contacts under quarantine.
“So far, we have 70 persons on surveillance. By this afternoon, we should have the result of them under quarantine and anybody that becomes symptomatic is immediately quarantined. They are using the isolation ward as provided by the Lagos state government for the purpose of treating the disease.
“What it means is that we have two cases so far now reported from Nigeria. But we placed primary contact on surveillance, those who had contact with that patient that came in from Liberia either on the same flight and they were left in Nigeria or those who had contact with him at the airport like the officials from different agencies working at the airport and of course those who treated him, so those are the primary contacts and amongst the primary contacts, 70 of them are currently under surveillance.
“So, the 70 does not include the patient that died. And amongst those on surveillance, we are saying that 8 are on quarantine and they are the ones that have developed any symptom either from Ebola Virus Disease or from Malaria, once you have fever and you had contact, we quarantine you. It is when we quarantine you that we will take samples to examine whether it is Ebola Virus Disease or not,” he explained.
