Female Nigerian Doctor Has Contracted Deadly Ebola Virus

As reported on Monday, one of the doctors that treated the Liberian-born American, Patrick Sawyer, who died of the Ebola disease, had contracted the virus. Late Sawyer, who arrived at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos on July 20, died at an Obalende hospital about five days after. The doctor is a woman.

Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu said, "This is now the second case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria. This victim is one of the doctors who attended to the patient who brought Ebola virus to Nigeria."

He also told journalists that "about eight other persons who came into contact with the late Sawyer, and who had developed the Ebola symptoms, had been quarantined while 70 others were under surveillance."

The minister further added that:

“All those who came into contact with the late Sawyer depending on the level of contact are still being traced and being invited every day and they are placed under surveillance just to ensure that the spread of disease is curtailed.”

He said, “Although the research on bitter kola was not concluded, no progress can be made without research. For now, there is no scientifically proven vaccine or drug for the treatment of Ebola [in Nigeria].”

Infected doctor is not dead –FG
Just minutes after Chukwu and Oluwole spoke, there were rumours that the doctor who treated Sawyer had died. The rumour was dismissed by Director, Centre for Disease Control, Abuja, Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi.

Nasidi told journalists in Lagos that the doctor had been quarantined and was presently receiving treatment. In his words: "We will not be able to release the name of the new contact; but we know that the person is a doctor and a female. The patient is not dead. She is alive. Experts from the local, international organisations are attending to the patient.”

Lagos plans another isolation centre, may isolate 10 people
Punch gathered that Lagos state government had begun renovating another centre at the Mainland Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba, to isolate some of the people that had direct contact with the late Sawyer.

Airlines operators to introduce masks, gloves
The upsurge of Ebola virus has been giving airline operators sleepless nights. Investigations showed that officials of the airlines are busy working on measures to ensure safety of their passengers and crew members.

One of such strategies is to have their cabin crew members wear gloves in both local and international flights.

Cabin crew members might wear masks to cover mouths and noses, especially during international flights. This, according to one of the airline officials, is to reduce the risk of spreading or contracting the disease.

He said, “We are concerned because this Ebola issue is a serious one and all eyes are on the aviation industry. We the operators are on our toes also because it is risky for our officials who are on duty on a daily basis. The issue of gloves may soon be mandatory for everybody and we are still looking at other options.”

US to send 50 experts to West Africa
The United States has said it will in the next 30 days send 50 health experts to West Africa to help contain the Ebola outbreak.

The director of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden, who made this known in a statement, described the Ebola outbreak as “ the biggest and most complex in history.”

He said, “It will take many months, and it won’t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped. We know what needs to be done. CDC is surging our response, sending 50 additional disease control experts to the region in the next 30 days.”

Reuters quoted Geneva-based World Health Organisation as saying in a statement that Nigeria has 4 cases, of which three were classed as ‘probable’ Ebola and one as ‘suspected.’