Following the death of an Ebola victim
in Port Harcourt, Rivers State during
the week, at least 160 persons that
made contact with the victim have
been identified and put under
observation.
The Rivers State Commissioner for
Health, Sampson Parker, stated at a
news conference at the state’s
secretariat in Port Harcourt on Friday
that the people had shown no signs of
the Ebola disease.
He, however, said that the people were
strictly under watch.
The commissioner added that the baby
of the widow of the late health worker,
who has since been quarantined, was
in good health.
While dispelling rumours that the state
was not working with the Federal
Government in tackling the spread of
the disease, Parker said, “Rivers State
now has a mobile testing unit for
testing blood samples for the virus. A
national Ebola response team has
been set up and headed by the
Minister of Health, Professor
Oyenbuchi Chukwu.”
He also stated that all places identified
to have been visited by the late victim
after he met with an ECOWAS
diplomat, Oluibukun Koye, were being
decontaminated as part of measures
to contain the spread of the disease.
The late doctor’s residence, the Green
Heart hospital, where he was treated
and the morgue where his body was
kept, were part of the places being
decontaminated.
Meanwhile, there was panic in the
University of Calabar Teaching
Hospital in Cross River State over a
suspected Ebola case on Friday.
The scare was intensified when a
member of the National Conference
from the state, Mr. Orok Duke, took to
his Facebook page to spread the
information.
Duke said an Ebola patient arrived
from Port Harcourt and had been
quarantined.
But the Chief Medical Director of the
hospital, Dr. Thomas Agan, expressed
shock over the situation while
describing Duke’s claim as
unfounded.
In a text message sent to one of our
correspondents, he said, “I am
shocked that someone of your status
will post an unfounded story on
Facebook to misinform not only
Nigerians but the world at large! You
know the implications are far
reaching!
“Please be informed that there is no
case of Ebola both in UCTH and
General Hospital, Calabar. I will advise
you to retract what you have posted
immediately Sir!”
The state Commissioner for Health,
Angela Oyo-Ita, said it was not true
that an Ebola patient was quarantined
at UCTH.
She said, “It is absolutely false.
Whoever is bringing that up does not
mean well for the state. A sick patient
came in and people ran away. I
received a call and acted on it; so they
got back to me and said the person
tested HIV positive. The person came
from Port Harcourt.
“It is not true that people have been
quarantined in the hospital. The
patient has been tested for HIV and
not Ebola.”
The Ebola Virus Disease has killed five
persons in Nigeria, with five of the
deaths occurring in Lagos State,
where the first case of the disease was
recorded.
Since the outbreak of the disease in
West Africa, at least 1,500 deaths have
been recorded. www.punchng.com/news/ebola-160-placed-under-observation-in-rivers/

brb

What then happens to TAN rally today in Port Harcourt? Isn't it time Jonathan and his men postpone the rally indefinitely?