Health workers on duty
The number of suspected cases of the deadly Ebola virus has continued to increase as another set of 21 persons have been quarantined in Enugu State.
The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, disclosed this Wednesday, adding that the 21 people had contact with a nurse, who earlier had primary contact with the index case, American Patrick Sawyerr, who imported the virus into Lagos from Liberia and died on July 25.
Maku told State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Cabinet meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, that the nurse defied medical advice and travelled from Lagos to Enugu.
He said it was only wise that all the21 people that have been identified to have had contact with the Lagos nurse should be quarantined.
The Minister however assured that several measures are being put in place to curb the spread.
He also assured that the measures have passed the tests of the international organisations operating in the country, including the American International Agencies for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, WHO, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF and other relevant bodies.
However, Maku advised Nigerians and warned those who have contacts with the victim to obey government directives to limit their movements so as to reduce the spread of the disease.
His words, “The international organizations have no need to panic as government is making strong efforts to bring the situation under control.
“The measures we have put in place show professionalism and confidence to ensure that this virus does not spread beyond where it is today.
“Even the World Health Organization has expressed satisfaction with the measures that we have put in place so far, so there should be no need for any anxiety over the existence of the virus in Nigeria.
“There is a strong team in place that has been working and tracing the secondary cases. So far, a total of 198 persons have been isolated, with 177 in Lagos alone and 21 persons in Enugu state, that have been quarantined”.
Also, Maku said government is collaborating with transport owners and operators to prevent the transmission of the virus through the nation’s land borders while protective materials are being provided.
So far, three Ebola deaths have been recorded in Nigeria – the American Patrick Sawyer, the ECOWAS staff Jatto Abdulqudir and one of the Nigerian nurses that treated him.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria athletes to the on-going World Youths Olympics in China are being recalled because of the dehumanizing discrimination being meted out to them in China over the Ebola virus.
