Ebola management: Nigeria confirms new Ebola death, fresh case, discharges eighth patient
Written by Chukwuma Muanya (Lagos) and Emeka Anuforo (Abuja)
Category: National
| chukwu-health |
Sister of deceased doctor tests positive
• Total number of victims now 18, seven dead
• Eight persons successfully managed
• 296 under surveillance
• Virus has not spread beyond Lagos, P'Harcourt, says Chukwu
NIGERIA Wednesday confirmed another death due to the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), a new case, even as the eight patient/survivor was discharged, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 18.
Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday, in an update of the status of EVD in Nigeria made available to The Guardian by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Mr. Dan Nwomeh, said the total number of confirmed cases of EVD in Nigeria is now 18 and that the 18th confirmed case is the sister of the late Port Harcourt doctor.
Chukwu said the total number of cases successfully managed and discharged is now eight. He said the last case to be discharged, the first secondary contact to be diagnosed and a spouse of a primary contact of the index case, went home from the isolation ward in Lagos yesterday.
The minister, however, said the ninth survivor is the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission official who jumped surveillance in Lagos and travelled to Port Harcourt where he infected the doctor who attended to him.
Chukwu said the total number of deaths from EVD in Nigeria is now seven. He explained: "One, the index case, occurred in a private hospital in Lagos, four in the Lagos isolation ward, one in the Port Harcourt isolation ward- the female patient who was on admission in the same hospital where the late Port Harcourt doctor was also admitted, while another one was the doctor who was infected by the ECOWAS Commission official in Port Harcourt and who did not come under the care and management of the Incident Management Committee.
"Total number of EVD patients currently under treatment is two, one in the Lagos isolation ward and another one in the Port Harcourt isolation ward.
"Total number of contacts currently under surveillance in Lagos is 41, while Port Harcourt has 255.
"Total number of contacts discharged in Lagos after they were observed for 21 days is 320."
The minister also debunked rumours of EVD cases outside Lagos and Port Harcourt. These include the three reported cases in the Federal Capital Territory and one case in Calabar.
The minister further debunked the story that the body of the late Port Harcourt doctor was transported to Edo or Delta State, saying the body has been decontaminated and will be interred in Port Harcourt. "Regarding the rumoured case in Zaria, the blood sample has been sent for Ebola testing," Chukwu said.
Meanwhile, a third American missionary has been infected with Ebola while working in Liberia and is being treated in an isolation unit in the Monrovia hospital where he works, putting into sharp focus the risks and ethical dilemmas confronting missionaries around the world.
The doctor, who wasn't identified, is the second missionary working for SIM USA, a Charlotte, N.C., Christian organization, to contract the deadly disease. Nancy Writebol, a SIM USA missionary, and Kent Brantly, a doctor working for Samaritan's Purse, another U.S.-based Christian group, were evacuated last month to an isolation unit at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Both recovered from the disease and were discharged.
The doctor is "doing well and is in good spirits," the organization said. Another American doctor has been sent to Liberia to care for him, according to a spokesman. It isn't clear whether he will be evacuated to the U.S.; SIM USA is going to explore all options, the spokesman said.
The unnamed American doctor has been in Liberia only a few weeks. He was sent in after Dr. Brantly fell ill, said Bruce Johnson, SIM USA's president, in an interview last month.
Saudi Arabia assures Nigerian pilgrims of hitch-free Hajj
From John Okeke, Abuja
AGAINST fears of the spread of Ebola virus and rumours of ban on Nigerian pilgrims, the Saudi Arabia government has assured that this year's Hajj operation would not be affected by the Ebola crisis.
This assurance was a result of the official visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali to Saudi Arabia as special envoy of President Goodluck Jonathan to King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia.
A statement signed by the ministry's spokesperson, Ogbole Ode stated that, "at the end of the visit, the Saudi authorities gave firm assurance that this year's Hajj operation would not be adversely affected by the Ebola crisis."
According to the release, the issue of co-sharing of airlift for Hajj was resolved in such a manner that would allow this year's operations to take place on terms and conditions acceptable to both sides.
The meeting also discussed collaboration and cooperation in security and intelligence matters, particularly the fight against Boko Haram as well as the deepening and strengthening of relations between the two countries.
As regards cooperation on counter-terrorism, both sides undertook to intensify cooperation and collaboration to counter the menace of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
"It is recalled that the visit of the Honourable Minister to Saudi Arabia is in furtherance of on-going re-orientation of Nigeria's foreign policy in a manner that strikes balanced engagement with countries of North Africa and Middle East," It stated
Lagos warns public against fake test kits
By Wole Oyebade
LAGOS State Government yesterday warned members of the public against activities of some people marketing Ebola test kits in some parts of the state.
The government said while anti-Ebola claims associated with the kits are fake, there is no certified test kits on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) anywhere in the world.
Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Hakeem Bello, in a statement said the attention of the government has been drawn to activities of "unscrupulous people" who are marketing "Ebola Cassette Test Kit", with the intention to exploit the public health situation for gains.
Bello said the public must be informed that the fake items which are branded as "Rapid Response Canada with test results purportedly available in 10 minutes" is a hoax.
He said, "there are no Ebola test kits manufactured anywhere in the world. The technique for its manufacture does not exist yet," stressing that members of the public should not patronise the dubious marketers of the product.
Bello reiterated that the best known measure against EVD is correct hygiene like regular hand washing practice and prompt call on designated healthcare givers in case of suspected Ebola case.
Why virus is spiraling out of control, by CDC boss
By Debo Oladimeji
THE Director of the Centre for Global Health (CGH) at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta, Dr. Tom Kenyon has said that there are combination of factors that have allowed Ebola to spiral out of control.
"We have a weak public health system in place to detect it and respond to it. We have large population that have no access to radio that can hear about it. We have no dynamic system for people to be tested."
Kenyon, who spoke through a telephone conference at the United States (US) Embassy in Lagos yesterday said that he is confident that they will be able to address challenges posed by the Ebola outbreak.
According to him, the health care workers are putting in their best to curtail the epidemic. "We have thousand of volunteers who are putting their own life on the line in caring for others.
"On the downside there is tremendous stigma we talked to people who survived Ebola and they said their children have been shunned at the work place and been held up by the local community."
He recalled that ignorance is largely at the heart of stigma. "Anytime you drive a communicable disease underground it only makes matters worst. Ebola spread in two ways. Its mode of transmission is contact with a person infected with Ebola or a person who died from Ebola."
He added that there are many challenges being faced in dealing with Ebola. "Major one is that the population does not understand Ebola. Like the one we saw in Guinea suspicious having to do with the removal of the dead bodies of Ebola victims.
"I really want to use the media to tell the truth and try to correct the many misconception about the epidemic," he said
"We need a concerted action. A window of opportunity that is closing with each day we delay in Guinea."
He said that Ebola is spreading widely. He said that Ebola is preventable.
Be vigilant, vice chancellor advises
From Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos
THE Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, has advised matriculating students of the Long Vacation Studies Programme of the institution to take extra caution in order not to contract the deadly Ebola virus.
Mafuyai gave the advice yesterday at the multi-purpose hall of the university during the matriculation ceremony of the B. Ed Long Vacation Students. One thousand and five students matriculated on the occasion.
He urged them to imbibe the washing of hands culture and observe all hygiene practices that will keep Ebola off the campus.
He warned that if at any point in time any of them is found to have registered with false certificates or incomplete qualifications, they would be withdrawn automatically from the programme. He equally admonished them to steer clear of examination misconduct all through their stay in the university.
According to him, "If you are caught engaged in any form of examination misconduct, the penalty is outright expulsion. As mature students that you are, we do not expect you to engage in cult activities. However, as members of the university community, we need to warn you that there is no room for cultism in this university, outright expulsion is also the penalty for any student found to belong to a cult and in addition, such a student will be handed over to the police for prosecution. To be forewarned is to be forearmed."
Mafuyai reminded them of the great significance matriculation ceremonies play in the life of students, which should not be taken as a mere routine, adding that the matriculation oath that was administered on them is a promise they should respect. He said that they should also observe the provisions of the university laws and statutes, ordinances and regulations.
"By the oath, you also undertake not to violate this oath, which if you do, will make you liable to face disciplinary actions and possible expulsion from the university. I advise that you comply with this oath all through your stay in this university as the university authority is determined to implement its content to the letter," he stressed.
Imo dispels rumour of outbreak, as bank enforces hand-washing rules
From Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri
SHORTLY after members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) ended their 2014 Annual General Conference in Owerri, capital of Imo State, the state government on Tuesday dispelled rumuors of presence of any Ebola patient in a private hospital in Owerri.
Also, the state government has said there was no record of Ebola patient during and after the NBA conference contrary to the apprehension by some members of the Owerri branch of the association under the aegis of the past chairmen of the association in the state, among others, who had called for postponement of the conference held from Sunday, August 24, to Friday, August 29.
Both the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Edward Ihejirika and the Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in separate statements in Owerri dispelled rumours that a patient is on admission at Umezurike Hospital, adding that the only case at the hospital is a terminal ailment patient.
According to Ihejirika, when he went there he found a case not related to Ebola.
Said he: "I went there myself and discovered it was a case of a patient who had a terminal ailment."
The Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Emeka Emene, said he was surprised when he heard about the rumour, adding that there was no such case there.
Meanwhile, the state branches of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) have adopted compulsory hand-washing rule to customers, members of staff or anyone transacting business in the offices of the bank in the state, with sanitized water at the entry points of the bank. They are also scanned with thermo scanners for temperature checks.
The Guardian visited the bank's branches on Wednesday and discovered the rule being enforced.
An official said that the bank was taking precautionary measures as advised by health experts according international best practices, adding that the health and wellbeing of GTB's customers and members of staff are important to the authorities.
LUTH denies death of patient with virus
By Kenechukwu Ezeonyejiaku
FOLLOWING the rumour of the death of an Ebola patient at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on Tuesday, authorities of the hospital have denied that such incident occurred in the hospital.
Speaking to The Guardian on phone, the Public Relations Officer (P.R.O) of the hospital, Mrs. Hope Nwaworo, said that there was no such case of an Ebola patient's death in the hospital.
She wondered where and how the rumour emanated from stating that the whole thing is a fuss.
Meanwhile, there was an apprehensive mood and caution in the hospital on Wednesday when the hospital was visited by the reporter. People were seen in clusters discussing the rumour that went round the previous day. More suspicious of the incident was the presence of a team of fumigators seen around.
In one of the new generation banks located inside the hospital, security personnel was also seen with protective gears screening customers with Infrared thermometer before they were allowed entry into the bank. When asked whether it was because of the incident that happened the previous day that they are carrying out the exercise, the security agent who did not want his name mentioned disclosed that it is a preventive measure initiated by the bank's authorities long before the rumour to contain the virus.
He confirmed that there was panic in the hospital on Tuesday with news that a patient had died with symptoms related to Ebola. He however noted that nothing again has been heard since then and everybody has been going about his or her normal business.
Policemen stationed in the hospital were heard discussing the rumour. One jokingly asked the other how he protects himself against the virus, he replied that "my skin is all bulletproof and no Ebola can penetrate it."
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