EBOLA IN NIGERIA: Latest Updates, Death, Infections and Federal Government's fight for her citizens' lives

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="entry-title posttitle" itemprop="name headline" style="border: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 2819px;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ebola latest: Another nurse dies, doctor in bad state</span></span></h1> <div class="metaStuff" style="background-image: none; border: none; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Sola Ogundipe, Chioma Obinna, Tony Edike, Okey Ndiribe, Favour Nnabugwu, Monsuru Olowoopejo, Gabriel Olawale & Racheal Adebayo</span></div> <div id="entryContainer" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="entry entry-content" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 6px 0px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ABUJA — A nurse, Justina Obi Echelonu, one of the primary contacts who participated in the initial management of the index case, late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, at the First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos, has died in quarantine.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">She is the second nurse and fourth fatality of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed her death yesterday at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, in Abuja.</span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_459790" style="border: 0px; float: right; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-another-nurse-dies-doctor-bad-state/obi-justina-ejelonu-ebola/" rel="attachment wp-att-459790" style="-webkit-transition: background-color, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="The Lagos State Ebola quarantine centre and Late Nurse Obi Justina Ejelonu" class="size-full wp-image-459790" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Obi-Justina-Ejelonu-ebola.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a></div> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Lagos State Ebola quarantine centre and Late Nurse Justina Obi Ejelonu</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu, who disclosed that another of the doctors who treated the late Patrick Sawyer tested positive to the deadly virus, said Nigeria has now recorded 10 confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, of which four have died and six are currently under treatment.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The total number of persons under surveillance in Lagos is now 169. These are all secondary contacts as all the primary contacts have completed the 21-day incubation period and have been de-listed to resume their normal lives,” the Minister explained.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Earlier, a top medical expert who is part of the medical team of experts managing confirmed cases at the Ebola Ward of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, said the nurse passed away in the early hours of yesterday.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We lost her in the early hours of today after much effort. She was one of the people that helped Sawyer when he was vomiting and stooling. That was when she contacted it,” he remarked.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said he could not confirm the death of the nurse yet but promised to give details after the Ebola Management Committee meeting scheduled to hold at the hospital later in the evening.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also confirming news of her death, Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji regretted the demise of the nurse, and commended her for her selfless service to the nation. In a statement issued, yesterday, the governor prayed for the repose of the dead.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“My heart bleeds as I write this. On behalf of my family, the Government and the good people of Abia State, I commiserate with family, friends and colleagues of our dear lady nurse, Justina Echelonu, who died following the contact she had with the American-Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, in the course of discharging her duty as a nurse. I pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this tragic and irreparable loss. Rest in Peace Ms Justina Echelonu.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ms. Echelonu is the fourth person to die of the disease in Nigeria after Mr. Sawyer died on July 25 and was followed by two other nurses.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Justina, 25, previously worked at Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Centre, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State before relocating to Lagos to take up appointment with First Consultants Hospital. She hailed from Mbaise in Imo State and graduated from the Department of Nursing Science in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Justina’s story before she died</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“I never contacted his fluids. I checked his vitals, helped him with his food (he was too weak)….I basically touched where his hands touched and that’s the only contact, not directly with his fluids. At a stage, he yanked off his infusion and we had blood everywhere on his bed…but the ward maids took care of that and changed his linen with great precaution.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Every patient is treated as high risk…if it were airborne, by now wahala for dey. I still thank God.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Friends, up to our uniforms and all linen were burnt off. We are on surveillance and off work till 11th.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Our samples have long been taken by WHO and so far we have been fine. For me, kudos to my hospital management because we work professionally with every patient considered risk, because that’s the training.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“Had it been it’s a hospital where they manage ordinary gloves like government hospitals and some janjaweed private hospital, …wahala for dey o. I must also thank Lagos Govt…in fact! Even Federal Government sef (sic)…all have been supportive. I’m good and so are the others in the hospital…”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">(culled from her Facebook page).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Abuja cleared</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Further, the Health Minister stated that Enugu State now has six persons under surveillance as 15 after complete evaluation were found not to have had contact with the nurse, a primary contact of the index case who became symptomatic and tested positive and is one of the 10 confirmed cases.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The nurse who had been placed under surveillance in Lagos disobeyed the Incidence Management Committee and travelled to Enugu. At the time she made the trip, she was yet to show any symptom and did not infect anyone on her way as transmission of the disease is only possible when a carrier of the virus becomes ill.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“However, she has since been brought back to Lagos. Before the return journey, she had become symptomatic and had to be conveyed to Lagos with her spouse in special ambulances. The husband is not symptomatic neither is he positive for Ebola Virus Disease but has been quarantined given the intimate contact with her while in Enugu.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is therefore important to emphasise that there is no Ebola Virus Disease in Enugu. All cases are still confined to Lagos State. Also, reports of Ebola Virus Disease in Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Anambra States as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have all been investigated and none of them was found to be Ebola Virus positive,” Chukwu affirmed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The minister reaffirmed that the last Federal Executive Council, FEC resolved to partner with the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, governors in their respective states and their commissioners for health for adequate co-operation. “We have been in contact with the private sector and Nigerian scientists both home and abroad”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He announced that an emergency operation centre under the coordination of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with an inter-ministerial committee headed by the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, has been set up by President Goodluck Jonathan.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu affirmed that all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT are well prepared to contain the virus even in the states that the EVD has not been reported aside Lagos, adding that all hands are on deck to prevent its spread within and outside Lagos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said President Goodluck Jonathan held an emergency meeting with all states of the Federation and the FCT to review the state of preparedness of each of the states during which each of the states gave a status report on their readiness while the Lagos State Government gave an account of the Ebola experience in the state.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu said the Federal Government and international health agencies commended the efforts of the Lagos State Government, describing it as adequate and satisfactory from preventing the spread of the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said most of the states are very well prepared ahead, and added that the World Health Organisation, commended President Jonathan for the leadership provided, especially his personal commitment to ensure that the EVD does not spread further.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He appealed to Nigerians to adhere strictly to health regulations of washing their hands with sanitizers in line with the WHO international health regulations and in keeping with international best practices in order to keep safe and healthy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu further stated that health specialists have been positioned in all of the nation’s entry points, and active surveillance has also been stepped up. All government tertiary health institutions have also been equipped to handle any emergency that might arise from the disease.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In Imo State, the case was that of a corpse returned from Liberia to Abia accompanied by proper medical certificate of death, and added that the deceased was confirmed to have been cleared of Ebola.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In Anambra, a corpse was also returned from Liberia with medical certificate of death while all the people that accompanied the corpse had no Ebola</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In the case of Garki Hospital, Abuja, a diabetic and HIV patient was taken to the hospital in coma after which the doctors exhausted all necessary tests for Ebola.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu said it was deduced that a patient that had two critical diseases, he could as well have had Ebola but the test carried out was negative hence there is no case of Ebola.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Imo case, he said, was a case of Stephen Johnson’s syndrome, meaning that the patient reacted to a malaria drug which caused her skin to start peeling off and not a case of Ebola.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fleeing Nurse attended wedding</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Enugu state government said yesterday that nobody is quarantined in the state over the deadly Ebola virus. The State Commissioner of Health, Dr George Eze who made this known while speaking with journalists confirmed that about 20 persons were under surveillance following contact they made with the nurse who attended to the late Patrick Sawyer.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eze stated that the state government  has designated four centres including the Colliery Hospital, the District Hospital in Ikem, General Hospital in Nsukka and Oji River General hospital as isolation centres for victims of the disease.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The government’s clarification  came as the state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), expressed displeasure over the poor preparedness and the way in which the state government has responded to the Ebola virus issue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The association stated that till date, medical workers in the state were still confused on where to send patients with the ailment, stressing that government has paid less attention to procuring protective devices for volunteers and health workers that could enable them attend to the cases.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Eze stated that the nurse that had contact with Sawyer defied medical advice to visit the husband in Enugu, explaining that the government had acted swiftly on receiving the information and ensured that she and the husband were taken back to Lagos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He stated that the 20 persons placed under surveillance were due to the contact they had with the lady, explaining that they would only be isolated when they begin to manifest symptoms of the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said: “You do not quarantine somebody who is moving about because it is only when you develop symptoms that you will be able to transmit the virus and that is when you have excess viral load. It was when she came down to Enugu from what we got from her and the husband that she now started having symptoms. It was then that we were informed, we moved in swiftly and provide the wherewithal with support from expatriates that came down from Lagos, we were able to isolate her and decontaminate the house in line with WHO standard and took her back to Lagos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Naturally you have to try to track down the contacts anywhere. It is those contacts that have been put under surveillance. They are in their homes and they are placed under surveillance by Centre for Disease Control in Lagos”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He stated that the panic being expressed over the development was unnecessary, stressing that the disease can only be transmitted by those who have manifested the symptoms which will unlikely be walking about the streets.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the provision of protective gear and other materials for personnel, he said the state like others have requested for the facilities from the federal government and would ensure that the materials were not fake.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On the information that the lady in question had attended a wedding in Enugu, he said: “If somebody is well enough to attend and enjoy himself in a wedding, it is not going to transmit the virus. It is only when the person has become ill and developed symptoms”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On why it has taken so long for the Ministry to brief the people of the state on the situation of things regarding the disease, he said that he wanted to ensure that the public were given the right information.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said the centres earmarked have been provided with facilities such as bed among others, adding that Centre for Disease Control would soon start training volunteers.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Waivers for corpses from Ghana, India</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Health Minister said waivers were granted to corpses brought in from Ghana and India because they were not Ebola cases. He explained that the one from India died from cancer of the rectum adding that both were proper certified.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Concerns over quarantined victims</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile, fears heightened yesterday over the health of 198 Nigerians in quarantine, following reports that they are critically ill.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although plans are underway by the Federal Government to provide Personal Protective Equipment, isolation tents and relevant facilities to halt the spread in the country, concerned Nigerians have called for technical support and expertise from the United States of America and the international community to help contain the spread of the disease in Nigeria</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking in Lagos, Managing Director, Premium Health, HMO, Dr. Ladi Okuboyejo, disclosed that. while a few victims have passed on as a result of infection with the virus, there is need for international intervention to halt the likely spread of the disease as the situation is beyond what the country can deal with presently.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Okuboyejo commended the chief consultant and other health workers at the First Consultants Hospital, Obalende, for promptly reporting the case to the appropriate health authorities after the late Patrick Sawyer, failed to respond to treatment. However, he pointed out that a lot more needed to be done to address the situation so that it does not get out of control in the country.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">”We have been following closely and know some of the individuals that are being quarantined and it is beyond what we can deal with right now.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“This disease is new to us in the country and we have never been involved in containing this kind of outbreak. There is need for the international community to come and assist Nigeria in helping to halt the likely spread of the disease. As we speak, those quarantined are critically ill.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">”I know that the Federal Government is trying its best but there is a lot more we can do to address this situation. Nigeria is too big to be ignored. This disease is new to us in Nigeria and there are experts</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">globally that have experience in treating Ebola globally. We need to tap into their expertise in-country. It is a learning curve for everyone. It is beyond our capacity to handle. If this gets out of control, the consequences, you know,” Okuboyejo disclosed.</span></div> <br /> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-style: inherit;">Relatives of infected doctor send SOS to US, others</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Okuboyejo, who led a group of relatives and concerned friends of the quarantined Senior Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, of the First Consultants Medical Centre, at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, sent an SOS to the United States and international community.</span></div> <br /> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“When you turn on your television now the first news item you hear about is Ebola. A few victims have passed on and the question is what is the state of things in our nation right now. We have been following it very closely because a couple of us happen to know a number of people who have been quarantined and it is obvious to all of us that are concerned that are sitting down here that it is beyond what we can deal with. We would not want to paint what is black white but it is beyond what we can deal with right now and therefore we feel that there is a need for us to make this urgent cry for help for the international community to come to our aid and our assistance.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I think that it is important that we reflect back and try and see how things happened. I am a medical doctor and I am surprised that they made the diagnosis in the first instance because this is a man that could have gone somewhere else and could have been treated for malaria and he could have died and spread the thing like wild fire. However, the chief consultant that attended to these patients who is also being quarantined right now felt it was very necessary for them to send the blood sample for screening after which it was confirmed and she insisted he must not leave the Hospital.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“So I think we must get the facts right and really come out. We are particularly concerned that if someone could be so patriotic as to save millions of Nigerians from the hardship of this pestilence, the least we can do is to make an appeal to the international community for assistance.</span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Two Americans were flown to Atlanta for help. The chap who brought this thing to Nigeria was an American. Our question is that what is the international community doing for us? What are they doing to help the situation because as we speak this is beyond what we can cope with. For example the patients that are there under quarantine, do they even have water? Do we have the facilities to cope with this? It is a big question mark.</span></div> <br /> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We know that the government is trying but certainly there is a lot more we can do to improve the situation. This why we are making this passionate cry and appeal to the international community to come to our aid so that this doesn’t get out of control. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and God forbid if this runs out of control. The consequences you all know. So we have to call you to make this passionate appeal to you.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nigerian in Diaspora send experimental drug home</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu also confirmed that a Nigerian in the Diaspora has an experimental drug for Ebola treatment. He said the drug, “Nanosilver”, would be distributed to all Ebola health centres n the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The experimental drug is a donation from a Nigerian scientist in the Diaspora who was concerned about threat of Ebola in his home country. The drug will be distributed to all Ebola centres in the country”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Dangote donates N150 million</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile, the Aliko Dangote Foundation donated N150million to fund the establishment of Ebola Emergency Centre in Lagos. In her remarks, the Managing Director of the Foundation Mrs. Igomu Agaga called on well-meaning Nigerians to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and also take personal interest in the fight against Ebola in the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We are trying to look at the possible best way we can be of help in the Ebola virus crises and we decided to fund an emergency centre that will be established in Lagos in order to strengthen the Nigerian health system”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FG warns media against running down Nigeria</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, stated: “So far, as the ministry reported this morning, all those who had primary contacts with the subject had been quarantined which is the way the global community handles the disease and the secondary contacts have also been traced.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There is a strong team in Lagos which has been set up by the emergency response centre that is tracing every contact that has been made with either the index case or with primary contacts. So far the number of people that have been traced is 169 are under surveillance in Lagos”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Maku said the country had moved in a way that it had not done before, “and globally the standards we have kept, the efforts we have made, the policies we have deployed, the measures we have taken surely should give our citizens and the world at large the confidence that Nigeria is doing everything possible to contain this virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“In addition to this, the Ministry of Health has also been in close touch with all the state governments, and the governors are receiving continuous briefings on the measures we have taken and what we should do at the state level.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Maku who commended the efforts of the media since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, said the media had been very supportive and cooperative except for one or two local media and two international agencies that had been reporting the Nigeria case as if Ebola originated from the country while he said the foreign media reported the country’s Ebola case as if global total figure of the Ebola was Nigeria’s.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We will take action against any media that wants to run down the country for any reason. We will not allow any international media to use the Ebola to damage the corporate image of this country.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mandatory screening for air travellers</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All passengers on international flights through the nation’s airports must be subjected to tests for the Ebola virus, it has been confirmed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka disclosed this while speaking during a courtesy visit paid him by Deputy Chief Information Officer at the United States Embassy, Ms Maria Brewer.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Further, he stated that the ministry was working on developing protocols at the airports in order to deal with diseases that are highly infectious, adding that in order to achieve the desired goal all rules are being complied with.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Commenting on the nation’s aviation status he said: “On the Category One certification status, I think we are on track and I think that all the gaps are being addressed so that by the time they come back, all the facilities would have been in place.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He observed that the Ebola virus was not a dampener to the nation “because it will make us increase our protocols at the airport. I believe we are on track. Nigeria’s reaction to the Ebola crisis has been quite good.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We intend to collaborate with the embassy in several areas. This is a real challenge for us in West Africa; this unfortunate episode of the man that imported the disease into Nigeria. Our reaction has been quite swift and these measures are very far reaching and so far all the people with known primary contacts have been quarantined. We are thinking that the transport sector is going to be the purveyor of the movement from point A to point B.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The airports being controlled environments, it would be easy for us to curtail the movement of people coming in and exiting. We have been trying to watch even people on local flights like from Abuja to Lagos. So I think our curtailment strategy has been good and proactive. I also believe that things that we need to do like the on-going screening at the airports and increment in the number of health workers being recruited are all geared towards curtailing the spread of the disease”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In her own remarks at the occasion, Ms Brewer commended the Federal Government for the steps it has taken so far to check the spread of the dreaded disease. She also confirmed that the US Embassy had been working with the ministry in Abuja and Lagos to ensure that screening of passengers is on-going at the airports.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Further, Chidoka said: “The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States has also been working very closely with Nigerian authorities at all levels to ensure that this disease is stamped out and that it doesn’t further impact on any population whether it is here in Nigeria or anywhere else. This is a top priority for the US government.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Brewer further stated that the embassy was in synergy through “our public health communicators by making sure that the right information is given to the public on what they need to know, what to do, what the disease looks like and how to move forward as well as on individuals who can help in screening. We have also offered help to assist in screening passengers that are coming into the country and those going out.”</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-another-nurse-dies-doctor-bad-state/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You might also like</span></span><br /> <ul class="ob_ul_container" style="border: 0px; 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EBOLA IN NIGERIA: Latest Updates, Death, Infections and Federal Government's fight for her citizens' lives

Ebola latest: Another nurse dies, doctor in bad state By Sola Ogundipe, Chioma Obinna, Tony Edike, Okey Ndiribe, Favour Nnabugwu, Monsur...

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Ebola:Federal Government Names 4Test Centres

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ebola-virus-pink-jpg.jpg" itemprop="image" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ebola: FG names 4 test centres"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Ebola-virus-pink-jpg" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ebola-virus-pink-jpg-702x336.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Ebola: FG names 4 test centres" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ebola: FG names 4 testcenters </span></span></h1> <a class="comments" href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=76873#comments" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px -35px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="fa fa-comments-o" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: auto; vertical-align: baseline;"></span> </span></span></a></header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Government has named four laboratories for testing of the Ebola virus disease.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These are in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Centre for Disease Control in Asokoro, Abuja; University College Hospital, Ibadan and the Redeemer University Laboratory along Kilometre 35, Lagos Ibadan Expressway.<br />The government is also targeting Jos and Kano as well as setting up a mobile test centre in Enugu by the end of the week. The government intends to set up nine laboratories across the country before the end of next month.<br />Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, the governors of Lagos and Enugu states,  WHO Country Representative, Dr. Rui Voiz, the Ministers of Information and Health, Director General of National Centre for Disease Control, Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, disclosed that most Nigerians in the diaspora were in touch with the Federal Government to assist in making available the experimental drugs on Ebola virus disease.<br />Labaran Maku said the special meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan discussed the various efforts at federal and state levels to combat the Ebola virus.<br />He said: “We rose from this meeting with the confidence that we will defeat this virus in line with the leadership being given by the president and state governors and professional health workers.”<br />Health Minister, Prof Onyeabuchi Chukwu, said Nigeria has 10 confirmed cases including the Liberian, who imported the disease and those who had contact with the index case, adding that of the 10 cases, three had been confirmed dead. He said in Enugu, there were 21 secondary contact cases  under surveillance and that a defiant nurse was under observation in Lagos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said government’s decision on prohibition on repatriation of corpses ‎from abroad, would be fully enforced. He however, explained that waivers will be granted after due diligence have been carried out.<br />He said already, two of such waivers from Kenya and India of Nigerians, who died of diabetes and cancer respectively ‎have been granted.<br />He said: “Two cases were reported in Abuja but they have been cleared of not having the virus. The one in Anambra concerning a corpse has been cleared. That of Abia, which was a case of reaction to a drug (Steven Johnson) has been cleared. So also is the corpse in Imo brought from Liberia it has been cleared of the cause not being  Ebola.”<br />‎The Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, made case for transparent disclosure of infected persons, adding that  health workers are provided with advanced equipment to protect them in their first line of duties.<br />His ‎Enugu State counterpart, Sullivan Chime said, “‎from the reports of the meeting it’s clear Nigeria has the capacity to fight ebola but there is need for standardised practice combating it,” while the WHO Representative, insisted that the epidemic was controllable.</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Ebola:Federal Government Names 4Test Centres

Ebola: FG names 4 testcenters    The Federal Government has named four laboratories for testing of the Ebola virus disease. The...

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Ebola Latest: US rejects Nigeria’s request for trial drug

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">L</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AGOS</span>—The United States of America, yesterday, dashed the hope of an early cure for Ebola Virus victims in Nigeria when it refused to share the trial drug with Nigeria. US President Barak Obama says it would be premature to share the experimental drug with Africa.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Federal Government had earlier reached out to the United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, in Atlanta, to request for the drug for treatment of EVD affected persons in Nigeria, but President Obama turned down the request, saying it would be far more beneficial to focus on prevention instead.</span></div> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_414741" style="border: 0px; float: right; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/jonathan-calls-for-global-efforts-to-eradicate-terrorism/obama-jonathan-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-414741" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="US President Barack Obamar) talks with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria before their bilateral meeting in New York on September 23, 2013 on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly. AFP Photo" class="size-full wp-image-414741" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/obama-Jonathan.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">US President Barack Obamar) talks with President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria before their bilateral meeting in New York on September 23, 2013 on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly. AFP Photo</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nigeria recorded its first Ebola Virus disease fatality on Tuesday when one of the nurses who was one of the primary contacts of the American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, passed on. The doctor who treated Sawyer, who died in the country after flying into Lagos, is now ill with Ebola and six other primary contacts are currently ill with the disease in a Lagos hospital where they are quarantined.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu and Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku had disclosed on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja that the Federal Government was awaiting the response of the request it made to the CDC on Tuesday.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing the 50 African leaders at the US-African Summit in Washington, President Obama stated that it is “premature” to send an experimental medicine for the treatment of Ebola to West Africa, as he lacked enough information to approve the drug that was already being used on two American aid workers whose conditions were said to have improved by varying degrees.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We’ve got to let the science guide us and I don’t think all the information is in on whether this drug is helpful. The Ebola virus, both currently and in the past, is controllable if you have a strong public health infrastructure in place.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The countries affected are the first to admit that what’s happened here is the public health systems have been overwhelmed. They weren’t able to identify and then isolate cases quickly enough.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“As a consequence, it spread more rapidly than has been typical with the periodic Ebola outbreaks that occurred previously,” he remarked.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Palliative</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As a palliative, President Obama announced plans by the US to spend $110 million annually, for three to five years, totall ing $330-$550 million, to help African nations develop rapid reaction peacekeeping forces.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ebola virus causes viral hemorrhagic fever, which refers to a group of viruses that affect multiple organ systems in the body and are often accompanied by bleeding.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The experimental medicine is a three-mouse monoclonal antibody, meaning that mice were exposed to fragments of the Ebola virus and then the antibodies generated within the mice’s blood were harvested to create the medicine. It works by preventing the virus from entering and infecting new cells.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Developed by a San Diego Company, Mapp Biopharmaceutical, the experimental serum had never been tried before on human beings but had shown promise in small experiments with monkeys. Company documents show that four monkeys infected with Ebola survived after being given the therapy within 24 hours after infection.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the monkeys, the experimental serum had been given within 48 hours of infection. Two of four other monkeys that started therapy within 48 hours after infection also survived. One monkey that was not treated died within five days of exposure to the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WHO debates emergency</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile, on the second day of its emergency meeting on the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Organisation, WHO, says it would convene a panel of medical ethicists to discuss if the drug should be used on others and who should receive it.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The UN Agency will decide whether to declare it an international crisis at the end of the closed-door session after it finds out whether the outbreak constitutes what is known in WHO-speak as a “public health emergency of international concern”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To date, the WHO has not issued global-level recommendations — such as travel and trade restrictions — related to the outbreak which began in Guinea and has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spain records Ebola case</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The CDC raised its alert to the highest level and has also increased its efforts to contain the massive outbreak before it can be officially labelled as a global health threat. This is the situation as Miguel Pajares became the first Ebola patient to arrive in Europe yesterday after the Spanish government flew the 75-year-old Roman Catholic priest to an undisclosed hospital in Madrid for treatment. The missionary worker was working in Liberia treating Ebola patients when he contracted the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In response to the longest and most deadly Ebola outbreak in world history, the CDC raised its alert level to Level 1. The Level 1 alert is saved for the most serious public health emergencies and allows the agency to relocate hundreds of employees working on different projects to refocus their efforts on Ebola containment.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">ECOWAS suspends meetings</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, the ECOWAS Commission has announced suspension of all its meetings to facilitate tackling of the Ebola outbreak in the sub region.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ECOWAS  Vice President, Dr Toga Mcintosh who made the announcement at a press briefing for members of the diplomatic corps on Nigeria’s national response to the Ebola Virus disease outbreak, stated that it was with immediate effect.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“On our own, we have undertaken that ECOWAS suspends all meetings that can bring us together, so all meetings will be suspended for now.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He stated that a task force has been established to monitor all information which is working along with member states in order to share information.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We are going to fumigate the entire places were the late Patrick Sawyer stayed before his death; even the vehicle. This, I must say, is a community challenge. It is not a one-country challenge; it is a global challenge,” he added.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Addressing the Diplomatic Corps, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said 70 borders are carrying out screenings at all the entry points in the country as he also stated that Nigeria has not closed  her borders but still looking at all possibilities.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He noted that Nigeria will not hesitate to do so if there is any superior argument.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Alert has been signed to all the 36 states of the federation and the local governments on how measures can be taken. The world is in danger, we have an emergency at hand globally, every nation is at risk and every individual is at risk.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chukwu also stated that the Federal Government has banned Nigerians from bringing corpses of their loved ones back to Nigeria from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia; only if there is a waiver and that must follow due process. He said provisions for life insurance to protect health workers in case of any loss of life will be granted.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">We foresaw Ebola in Nigeria </span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">– Vet Council</span></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reacting to the situation in the country, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, VCN, said  it foresaw the outbreak of Ebola disease in the country, given unrestricted contact between humans and wild animals.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In an interview, the Registrar, VCN, Dr. Markus Avong, told <span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Vanguard</span> in Abuja that  veterinarians in the country had expressed concern over the crave for bush meat by most Nigerians and eating of dead animals found in the bush.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The major source of introduction of the Ebola virus into Nigeria was not through the animal population, rather it was introduced into Nigeria by a Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer. That shows the virus security measures put in place by the Federal Ministry of Health are adequate enough to stop the further spread of the virus from person to person.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Notwithstanding, in a typical outbreak of Ebola virus, it is usually through wild animals like chimpanzees, fruit bats, monkeys and others that have the source of infection in humans.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Veterinarians in this country have been interacting on how to handle the possible outbreak of the Ebola virus, because it is a disease that is transferred from animals in the wild to humans. We have been on the issue since and sensitizing ourselves and Nigerians on how to handle animals.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Avong said efforts had been on to sensitize people on eating bush meat and handling dead animals, which some people eat also.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The advocacy has been on before now. We are urging Nigerians to desist from eating bush meat for now. My advice to Nigerians is that they should keep strictly and religiously to measures of personal hygiene coming from the medics and veterinarians.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Avong also maintained that Nigerians should keep to the measures given by observing strict hygiene principles, but urged more proactive steps in handling wild animals identified as carriers of the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“While measures given by the Federal Ministry of Health are observed, other proactive measures should be taken in stopping the further spread of the virus from the animal population.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Nigerians should not take things for granted because countries where outbreak of Ebola virus occurred are not far from Nigeria, and animals like fruit bats could traverse between Nigeria and those countries, and that is why fruits like mangoes, oranges and others are washed properly before eating.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“After coming in contact with animals people should properly wash their hands, and avoid their droppings and urine to come in contact with food they eat. Nigerians should avoid bush meat, and anyone who finds dead animals in the wild should not handle them but should report to the veterinarian nearest for proper disposal of the carcass.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Avong also stated that movement of nomads could pose danger in spreading the dreaded Ebola virus, and called for caution, as they were possible carriers of animal-to-man diseases.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He further explained that nomads across the borders could move into the country with the virus via their cattle, which could have come in contact with wild animals that carry the virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ghana denies banning Nigerian flights</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority yesterday officially denied banning flights from Nigeria as a result of the recent cases of Ebola infections and death recorded in Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A statement from the Ghana Aviation Authority said “The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority’s attention has been drawn to an online publication on the above subject on Saturday, 2nd August, 2014 and we wish to state emphatically that the publication is erroneous and misleading.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The statement further noted: “The GCAA as the sole Regulator of the Air Transport industry and Provider of Air Navigation Service in the country has not banned any airline from Nigeria and other African country from operating to Ghana because of suspicion that the flights might be carrying passengers with the Ebola virus.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We can confirm that flight operations to and from Nigeria and other African countries are normal without any interruption. The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority wishes to assure passengers and the general public that it is working with all stakeholders to ensure that the Kotoka International Airport and all other airports in the country remain safe and secure. “</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It will be recalled that last week, workers of the aviation agencies operating at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja were sensitized by Port Health officials on the dangers posed by the Ebola virus and how to prevent the spread of the virus in the work place, home and the community.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to Yakubu Dati , Coordinating General Manager, Communication, Aviation Parastatals, “The awareness campaign was carried out to complement other measures already put in place by Port Health at the country’s international airports to prevent the presence and spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking on the sensitization in Abuja, the Director, Port Services of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Sani Gwarzo charged aviation stakeholders to be abreast of dangers posed by the Ebola virus and how to prevent the spread of the virus in the airport.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“At MMA for example, Port Health personnel have been deployed to the two arrival halls for the purpose of testing arriving passengers for signs and symptoms of the deadly virus. Arriving passengers are to be processed first by Port Health personnel who are expected to carry out necessary tests on every passenger with special devices that do not permit physical contact. Those found to be free of any signs or symptoms would proceed to the Immigration area for other formalities.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“A holding area has been provided at the tarmac for suspected cases while index cases are expected to be isolated in a designated area outside the airport for further examination and treatment.“</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-us-rejects-nigerias-request-trial-drug/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-us-rejects-nigerias-request-trial-drug/#sthash.L5ThaLiL.dpuf</span></div>

Ebola Latest: US rejects Nigeria’s request for trial drug

L AGOS —The United States of America, yesterday, dashed the hope of an early cure for Ebola Virus victims in Nigeria when it refused to sh...

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