EBOLA VIRUS OUTBREAK IN NIGERIA

The Federal Government has stated that the Ebola Virus, which has caused the death of scores of people in Central and West Africa, may be heading towards Nigeria.

Cases of the disease have been reported in Mali, Ghana and other West African countries. In Guinea, 100 people have died from the disease while about 10 deaths have also been recorded in Liberia.

The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission. No specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.

The World Health Organisation said on Tuesday that it expects the disease to continue in West Africa for the next few months.

Speaking to journalists after the weekly meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation, FEC, on Wednesday, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, however, said no case of the disease has been reported in Nigeria.

“Like you pointed out, Ebola has been moving eastward towards Nigeria. We are already facing danger from Central African Republic, even with what is happening in Congo; people are also migrating to Chad and Cameroon are also in our borders.

“So Nigeria is in danger,” the minister said.

Mr. Chukwu said the federal government will now do more to educate Nigerians on the Ebola virus.

“We have recently said that in addition to the leaflets that we are producing for Lassa and other hemorrhagic fever, we will now emphasis Ebola fever.

“As I speak to you, we have already approved for jingles to be produced in various languages; produced for Nigerian Centre for Disease Control to be aired on Radio, TV and newspaper adverts.

“Then we are working with all groups, just like we are doing for polio, religious bodies, communities, traditional rulers and the media, which is most important in this venture. You (media) will help us to play your role by educating Nigerians,” he said.

The Health Minister also said there is no vaccine for the disease yet and “so it’s not a question of government has not produced vaccines for Ebola or Lassa fever.

“If there were vaccines, government will certainly buy a stock and keep. There is no specific treatment.”

He said Lassa fever is more common in Nigeria, particularly in northern part of Edo State.

“They record a case every week and it is very deadly,” Mr. Chukwu said.

Plateau State on Wednesday said one person may have died from Lassa fever in the state.

The Plateau State epidemiologist, Raymond Juriet, said three other cases of the same disease are under laboratory examination.

SOURCE: PREMIUM TIMES