One of the doctors in Lagos who attended to Liberian Patrick Sawyer – the man credited with bringing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria – has contracted the virus.
According to minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu (pictured), who confirmed the report, two other people under quarantine have developed symptoms of the virus “but it is not certain yet if they have the disease”.
The minister added that out of the 70 persons established to have had contact with the late Liberian, eight persons were now being quarantined.
Chukwu also revealed that the federal government had constituted a team to find the cure for Ebola.
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A member of the team, he said, is professor of pharmacognosy and former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Maurice Iwu.
But he could not confirm reports that a corpse brought into the country from Liberia had the deadly virus.
“Samples have been taken from the corpse and the result would be available today,” he said.
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Chukwu, who reiterated that efforts were being made to identify more secondary contacts, stressed no outbreak had been recorded yet outside Lagos.
He appealed to Nigerians to report any incident of the disease to the ministry for immediate action.
12 comments
We have the most irresponsible government in Nigeria. Ebola has been ravaging some west african countries for a while now yet the government failed to take any step to prevent the spread from such countries. It is really unfortunate. However, the good news is that anyone can contract the virus, including the president and the minister of health as well as the governors.
DEAR HARRY. YOU CAN’T BLAME THE GOVERNMENT FOR THIS. IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT WHO SPREAD THIS VIRUS.
I never said the government spread the virus. However, It is the responsibility of the government to protect the citizens. That is the reason why the government was elected in the first place. Ebola has been ravaging some West African countries for sometime now, it was not a sudden outbreak, consequently, a responsible govenment should have ensured that anyone coming into Nigeria from any of those countries is subjected to serious screening. If they did this, the man who brought this virus would not have been able to come into Nigeria. The Nigerian government is absolutely respinsible and like I said before, the good news is that anyone can contact the virus,including the president, the minister of health and their relatives.
It really bad seen a Government like our’s only shows bussy body when things have gone wrong. Would they not havE prevented its spread to Nigeria through proper medical scrutiny of people comoing into Nigeria. However, God is our strenght; signs of the ed time…
“Take care that your hearts aren’t dulled by drinking parties, drunkenness, and the anxieties of day-to-day life. Don’t let that day fall upon you unexpectedly,Stay alert at all times, praying that you are strong enough to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand before the son of man.” Lk21:34,36
THINK!!
Harry Briggs,
I am sure are a nigerian youth. Always verify matters before you post comment and under scoring government and endeavour to read as much as you post. The federal government have done a training for selected doctors at UCH Ibadan. Governor Babatunde Raji Fasola has also put some measures in Place at Lagos, even before the Outbreak in Nigeria. And all this has been done at about Two Months ago.
Why was the man allowed to come into Nigeria despite the fact that he had the symptoms? I am sure you are a government official. If we had a responsible government, anyone coming from those west african countries should have been subjected to serious screening before he or she is allowed into Nigeria. I am sorry, but you are the one that needs to do some serious reading about the role of government and how to prevent a disaster before commenting. We have an irresponsible government and that is the reason the virus is here. No objective person can dispute this fact.
try bitter kola: it is Gods gift to us and will not harm anyone; u never know it may b same thing Oyinbo r using. US Defence gave Dr Iwu a grant! Google it.
@Olu: i agree with you. i learnt they have tried it on those 7 affected people. let us hope they get better so that US and Spain can borrow from our style too.
May God help our Country Nigeria
@Sunday n innoma u two are funny in a not funny way at all (and trust me I am really trying not to be#$@€# here). Having said that, bitter kola, ‘sweet’ kola, kerosene, salt in water e.t.c. cannot cure ebola.
@Harry I totally agree with you, our govt. is to say the least lackadaisical about this. Considering the literacy level is a huge problem here, I would have expected the amount of good information going out to the public on this subject to be everywhere, in every language and via every media hmmmmmm……. Other wise the spread will be monumental, with people being traditional and sentimental about going to die ‘at home’ I really hope this does not get worse.
Harry u are right..dats dey fact buh we all d0 mistakes,n0 b0dy inculd u is perfect! Buh dey virus is in nigeria already al we need t0 d0 is pray dat dey virus wunt kill us all,wch ah knw it wunt happen…in dis p0int we dnt av t0 blame anyb0dy buh pray 4 a cure..wch wil s00n be awt…..nd dis is a sign 0f end tym! Luke:21:34-38….
There is need for us as a country to be proactive. We are only good at handling issues wen it gets to our doorsteps. As soon as d virus comes to other W/A countries, Nigeria is supposed to have developed systems of protection! But no! My pple will wait til its here and now Sawyer cashed in our looseness.