The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Wednesday
confirmed the release of the 8th Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) survivor in
Nigeria, adding that 18 cases have been recorded so far.
The Minister, briefing journalists after the Federal Executive
Council meeting, said, “The total number of confirmed cases of
Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria is now 18.
“The 18th confirmed case is the sister of the late Port Harcourt
doctor,” he said, adding that “the total number of cases
successfully managed and discharged is now eight.”
Prof Chukwu also stated that the last case to be discharged, the
first secondary contact to be diagnosed and a spouse of a primary
contact of the index case, went home from the isolation ward in
Lagos on Tuesday, confirming the 9th survivor as “the ECOWAS
Commission official who jumped surveillance in Lagos and
travelled to Port Harcourt”.
The Minister also confirmed that the total number of deaths from
Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria was seven.
“One, the index case, occurred in a private hospital in Lagos, four in
the Lagos isolation ward, one in the Port Harcourt isolation ward
(the female patient who was on admission in the same hospital
where the late Port Harcourt doctor was also admitted), while
another one (1) was the doctor who was infected by the ECOWAS
Commission official in Port Harcourt and who did not come under
the care and management of the Incident Management Committee”,
he said.
He added that two EVD patients were currently under treatment in
the Lagos and Port Harcourt isolation wards.
“Total number of contacts currently under surveillance in Lagos is
41, while Port Harcourt has 255.
“Total number of contacts discharged in Lagos after they were
observed for 21 days is 320”, he said.
The Minister also debunked rumours of EVD cases outside Lagos
and Port Harcourt and debunked rumours that the body of the late
Port Harcourt doctor was transported to Edo or Delta State,
insisting that the body has been decontaminated and would be
interred in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has partnered
with the Rivers State Government to contain the spread of EVD in
the state.
