There is no new Ebola virus case in Nigeria, Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said yesterday.
But an 18-month-old has been quarantined in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, the second city outside Lagos where the virus has been discovered.
The minister spoke in Abuja. Rivers State Commissioner Dr. Sampson Parker spoke in Port Harcourt. Both of them were giving updates on the Ebola situation.
They gave slightly different figures on the cases. The minister said 477 people were under surveillance in Rivers. The commissioner said 479 were.
The minister said: “At the moment, only one person, the wife of the Port Harcourt doctor who died, is under treatment in the isolation ward in Lagos. She no longer has any symptoms and is undergoing series of tests preparatory to her discharge this week.”
Chukwu said another patient was discharged on Sunday. The patient according to him, is the sister of Port Harcourt doctor Iyke Enemuo.
“It has been 50 days since Ebola Virus Disease was imported into Nigeria through Lagos, and 38 days since it was introduced into Port Harcourt. So far, all the cases that have been confirmed in Nigeria are traceable to the index case, Mr. Sawyer,” the minister said, adding:
“As of this morning, the total number of confirmed cases of EVD in Nigeria is 19, 15 in Lagos, four in Port Harcourt.
“The 19th case is the fiancé of one of the primary contacts of Mr. Sawyer’s who died of the disease. The test results were equivocal but further tests established the disease. He had only mild symptoms and he has since recovered from the illness. He was quarantined but because of the equivocal test result he was not placed on active treatment.
“The total number of deaths from EVD in Nigeria stands at seven. Five of this died in Lagos, one in a private hospital, the index case Mr. Sawyer, and the other four in the isolation ward in Lagos State.”
“Two of the seven (7) died in Port Harcourt, the medical doctor who died in a private hospital and the contact, a patient in the hospital at the time the doctor was also on admission, who died in the isolation ward in Rivers State.
The total number of patients who have been successfully managed and discharged stands at nine.
“The latest is the sister of the Port Harcourt doctor who was discharged from the isolation ward in Rivers State yesterday (on Sunday). (It should be noted that the nine patients successfully managed and discharged are among the total number of 11 survivors of EVD in Nigeria.
“At the moment, only one person, the wife of the Port Harcourt doctor, is on treatment in the isolation ward in Lagos. She no longer has any symptoms and is undergoing series of tests preparatory to her discharge from the isolation ward this week.
“Regarding contacts currently under surveillance, Lagos has 27 contacts surveillance, as of now. A total of 339 contacts who were previously on surveillance have been discharged, having completed 21 days of observation.
“Port Harcourt has 477 contacts under surveillance. It is a mixed group consisting of tertiary and quaternary contacts of Mr. Sawyer’s. Five contacts have already been discharged from surveillance in Port Harcourt, having completed 21 days of observation.”
The minister also said that ambulances, motorcycles and other medical equipment had been distributed to Port Health to effectively work at the borders and ports.
Dispelling the rumours, Chukwu said: “In the last one week, a number of EVD rumours have been investigated and all the cases have turned out to be Ebola negative. Specifically, the rumours in Kebbi, Kaduna, Lagos, Lagos, Oyo, Ebonyi, Delta and Sokoto states as well as the Federal Capital Territory have all been debunked.”
He said the United States made the pledge of 30 body scanners in error. “What eventually the US donated were 30 handheld infra-red thermometers, which have been put to service,” the minister explained.
Parker also said the late Enemuo’s sister, Chinyere who tested positive to the virus, had been discharged from the centre.
He said the baby became symptomatic at the weekend and was moved to the treatment centre, but was yet to be tested. The toddler was apparently among the number classified as high-risk.
“We have successfully treated and discharged an Ebola patient from our treatment centre. She was positive and she has been treated successfully and now negative. She has been re-united with her family members.
“A symptomatic contact was also discharged. He tested negative to the virus and was treated for something else and discharged.
“Right now we have another admission, an 18 months old infant but yet to be tested.
The commissioner expressed gratitude for the first victory and said about 479 contacts were under watch in the state, and 94 per cent of them are already being followed up; the remaining fraction would be covered before the end of yesterday.
He believes that the spread of the virus would be controlled in the state as has been done in Lagos.
“Agree that the disease has not yet got any cure, but it can be successfully managed, and we have done it, not just in Lagos, but now in Port Harcourt. Let us give God the glory and be confident in ourselves, and go about our normal duties,” Parker said, adding:
“We all need to be on bended knees, this week and next, and then we will be coasting home. Ebola is a 21-day disease; most of the people under surveillance will be rounding up by within this period. So, if we are not flooded up this week and next, then we will be coasting home. All hands must be on deck to make sure that we’re prepared for any eventuality.
“We have about 479 contacts now, about 94 per cent of them are being followed up; by today, we will cover all of them. Our points of entry are now well covered. Activities there have improved and going on very well and our workers fully on ground.”
“On the announcement of resumption of schools on September 22 by the Federal Government, Rivers State is at the peak of our battle against Ebola outbreak; so, the state government will review the situation as it is before adopting that date.
“We will sit down and review the whole situation and come up with a date. It may be the same date or a different date. Remember, also that the Federal Government has said the date already released is still subject to review.”
