Abuja - Dr Sule Bathner, a
consultant endocrinologist, on
Saturday in Bauchi,
commended the proactive
measures taken by relevant
authorities to check the spread of Ebola Virus in Nigeria after
the death of a Liberian citizen
from the disease in Lagos. Addressing a monthly meeting
of members of the Diabetes
Association of Nigeria (DAN)
Bauchi chapter, he said that
apart from the proper handling
of the case of the Liberian to avert spread of the virus,
vigorous enlightenment
efforts had been sustained. According to him, the virus has
been in existence for long,
consuming lives in some
African countries, but adds the
figure of casualties this year, is
higher than those of previous years. “The virus has no cure for now
but with quick intervention,
there is 10 per cent probability
that a patients could be lucky
to survive. However, without
proper First Aid, the probability of survival is zero,”
he explained. Bathner, who is also the Head
of Department of Medicine,
Federal Medical Centre, Gombe,
further explained that the
easiest way of contracting the
virus was through physical contact with a victim or the
victim’s corpse. “Ebola Virus could be found in
Bats, Monkeys, Gorillas and the
like, but it (virus) does not
harm them. The animals are
like reservoirs, through which
the virus could be contracted. “Once a human being is in
contact with these animals, he
contracts the virus and spreads
same to others. The disease is
not air-borne and does not
have specific signs different from other ailments before the
stage of incubation “That is why it is advisable
that people should go to the
hospital for investigation upon
experiencing severe signs of
fever and other symptoms,” he
urged. The consultant described as
highly disturbing, reports that
victims of the disease in some
countries were going into
hiding for fear of being
isolated or quarantined. He warned that unless
measures were taken to
address such behavior by
patients, the spread of the
virus would be beyond control. On cure for the virus, Bathner
explained that experts were
working on a vaccine, adding
that all things being equal,
there might be a solution to
the problem. http://m.news24.com/nigeria/National/News/Ebola-Consultant-commends-Nigerias-efforts-20140802

Nigeria will be fine