‘No single Ebola case’ in Nigeria

Minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has announced that there is “no single current” case of Ebola in Nigeria.

But he said a suspected case in Ife, Osun state, was being investigated, while many other people were still under quarantine.

Chukwu also confirmed that wife of the late Port Harcourt doctor who treated a primary contact of the index case, Patrick Sawyer, has been discharged from the isolation ward in Lagos.

The minister said was discharged on Tuesday, adding that there was no new confirmed case of Ebola in the country.

“As of today, the total number of confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria stands at 19, 15 in Lagos, four in Port Harcourt,” he said.

“The total number of deaths from EVD in Nigeria stands at seven. Five of this died in Lagos, one in a private hospital, the index case Mr Sawyer, and the other four 4 in the isolation ward in Lagos State.

“Two of the seven died in Port Harcourt, the medical doctor who died in a private hospital and the contact, a patient in the hospital at the time the doctor was also on admission, who died in the isolation ward in Rivers state.

“The total number of patients who have been successfully managed and discharged is now 10. The latest are the sister of the Port Harcourt doctor who was discharged from the isolation ward in Rivers state on September 7, 2014, and the wife of the same doctor who was discharged from the isolation ward in Lagos state, yesterday, September 9, 2014. (Please note that the 10 patients successfully managed and discharged are among the total number of 12 survivors of EVD in Nigeria.

“At present, there is no single current case of confirmed EVD in Nigeria. However, a suspected case of EVD from Ile-Ife, a university student who had contact with the late Port Harcourt doctor at a naming ceremony in Port Harcourt has been quarantined and is being investigated.”

Regarding contacts currently under surveillance Chukwu said: “Lagos now has 16 contacts under surveillance. A total of 350 contacts who were previously on surveillance have been discharged having completed 21 days of observation.”

“Port Harcourt has 490 contacts under surveillance. It is a mixed group consisting of tertiary and quaternary contacts of Mr. Sawyer’s. Sixteen contacts have already been discharged from surveillance in Port Harcourt having completed 21 days of observation.”