Nigeria has confirmed an additional case of the Ebola virus disease, bringing the total confirmed cases to 11.

Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu told a press briefing in Abuja that the death toll has also risen to 3. The death include the Liberian who imported the disease a, Nigerian nurse and protocol officer working with Ecowas who is also a Nigerian.

Professor Onyebuchi also said all those positive with the EVD had primary contact with the Liberian man and the disease is still limited to Lagos state only.

He also said the number of those on surveillance is now 175, down from 177 at the beginning of the week, adding that all those on surveillance had only secondary contact.

Among those on surveillance are six people in Enugu state, who had contact with one of the nurses.

It has been 26 days since EVD was reported in Nigeria, and some of those on surveillance who did not develop symptoms or who tested negative to the virus have been left off the radar.

 

ZMapp

Meanwhile, the National Health Research Ethics Committee in Nigeria has approved the use of ZMapp for the treatment of patients infected with the virus.

The approval was contained in a statement issued by Prof. Clement Adebamowo, chairman of the committee yesterday in Abuja, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has reported.

The decision by the committee is coming on the heels of Tuesday’s approval by WHO on the use of ZMapp for treatment of Ebola patients.

“It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to national, state or institutional health research ethics committee for prior review and approval.

“In addition, the committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded by the establishment of a Materials Transfer Agreement.

“This waiver is to promote rapid international response to this global emergency,” the statement said.

In the statement, the Nigerian National Code for Health Research Ethics emphasised that all innovative and non-validated treatments should be carefully and adequately documented.

According to the statement, the documentation could form the basis for clinical trials of the efficacy and side effects of the treatment, according to established scientific principles.

The ethics committee enjoined all agencies, development partners and research scientists to follow the guidelines for the rapid resolution of the current emergency, the statement said.

“The guidelines will contribute to preparedness in case of future occurrences and contribution to scientific knowledge.

“It must be noted that all Phase 0 and Phase 1 Clinical Trials that may subsequently be designed for treatment of this infection can be approved only by the National Health Research Ethics Committee,” it said.


In a related development, the Dangote Foundation has given 150 million Naira to fund the emergency operation system launched by the Nigerian government.


http://silverbirdtv.com/news/ebola-nigeria-confirms-additional-case

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