With no Ebola case reported in Delta State, the government has however taken a proactive measure by setting up Special Isolation Wards within seven designated hospitals for suspected cases of Ebola virus disease in the state.
The hospitals are Warri Central Hospitals, Ughelli Central Hospital, Sapele Central Hospital and Agbor Central Hospital. Others are Oleh Central Hospital, Eku Baptist Government Hospital and Delta State University Teaching Hospital Oghara.
Briefing the press at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Information Asaba, the Committee on Inter-Ministerial Ebola Virus Outbreak Preparedness and Response, disclosed that the Ebola Virus which has claimed 932 deaths in a total of 1,203 reported cases, has not yet been reported in the state.
Speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, stated that the State Government is doing its best to stem what happened in Lagos from happening here in Delta State, saying that adequate awareness was being created to educate the residents of the State of the Ebola Virus disease, how it can be prevented from spreading, as there is currently no specific treatment to cure the disease.
The Health Commissioner, Dr. Joseph Otumara who is the chairman of the Committee stated that the State Government is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that any suspected case is promptly contained, has put into operation activities and interventions among which include a stakeholders committee chaired by His Excellency, the State Governor, a technical working group and a meeting of relevant stakeholders like traditional rulers, owners of private health institutions.
According to the Committee, Ebola Virus is introduced into the human population through close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals such as bats, monkeys and apes.
“In order to avoid the loss of lives and reduce the economic impact of a possible outbreak, coupled with the fact that Nigerians in general and Deltans in particular are widely travelled, therefore, the Delta State Government has put into operation intervention measures in the State.” He explained.
Dr. Otumara who was in the company of other members of the Committee which include, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Monitoring Dr. Rukevwe Ogumba, Functioning Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health, Dr. Omotsola Michael, revealed that in the early stages of the Ebola Virus disease is present with non-specific symptoms such as sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat and later symptoms include, vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, impaired kidney and liver failure and in some cases both internal and external bleeding this include the period between 2 to 21 days with a case fatality rate of about 50 – 90 percent.
The Health Commissioner stated that the transmission of the disease to human is known to include uncooked infected fruit bats and bush meat, physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from the Ebola Virus or their body fluids – body sweat of infected person, blood, semen, saliva,, faeces, urine, breast milk etc.
Dr. Otumara who outlined symptoms of the early stages of Ebola infected person to include sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle, headache and sore throat, warned people to avoid touching an infected person or their fluids, sweat, blood, vomits, urine, faeces or diarrhoea.
He advised people to promptly report all suspected cases to designated hospitals or contact the following telephone numbers: 08037857479, 08063927202, 07037120510 or 08037438829, even as he charged health workers to observe practical universal precautions and measures/standard.
The commissioner reiterated that the disease can still be spread by someone who has recovered from the disease to their partner through their semen for up to seven weeks after recovery, saying that for this reason it is important for men to avoid sexual intercourse for at least 7 weeks after recovery.
