Fear of fresh Ebola outbreak hits Calabar

One year after Nigeria got certified free of the highly-contagious Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), there are fears that the virus has resurfaced in the country.

Already, 15 persons have been quarantined at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Cross River state.

Queeneth Kalu, chairperson of the hospital’s medical advisory committee, told reporters on Thursday that blood samples of those in quarantine had been sent to Edo state for analysis.

Kalu said a patient of the hospital died with symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever.

“On Wednesday, 7th October, 2015, we managed a patient who presented with symptoms mimicking viral hemorrhage (Ebola Virus) and have decided to take the necessary measures,” she said.

“Due to the remote chance of it being contagious, we have sent the blood samples for testing and quarantined identified contacts.

“The National Centre for Disease Control, the ministry of health, the state government and the Department of State Services, have all been informed.

“Further information will be made available as soon as we receive the results of the samples sent for analysis.”

Tope Richards, a resident of Calabar north, told TheCable that only few persons in the town are aware of the situation.

“We are trying to be very careful now. This kind of thing has never happened in this city,” she said.

“I wouldn’t have been aware of this situation if not that I went to the teaching hospital yesterday. Even some people there are not aware. We are in the hands of God. I really don’t know what to say.”

However,  Sunday Omini, director of public health in the state ministry of health, said it was too early to reach a conclusion on a resurgence of the virus.

“We are aware of the situation and we have got preliminary reports from the hospital, and we are all awaiting the result of the blood samples,” he told NAN.

“We are on top of the situation, there is no cause for alarm but judging from the information I have received so far, I am 90 percent sure that it is not Ebola.”

The development is coming at a time when the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced significant progress in the fight to stamp out EVD.

Earlier on Thursday, Margaret Harris, WHO press officer, said for the first time since 2014, no new case of the virus had been recorded this week.