The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, on Monday
said 59 people in the state came in contact with the 40-year-old
Liberian who died of Ebola virus in Lagos.
Idris, who made this known in Ikeja, explained that the number
consisted of 44 health care workers and 15 others at the Murtala
Muhammed Airport, Lagos.
“So far, 59 contacts have been registered, consisting 44 hospital
contacts (38 health care workers and six laboratory staff) and 15
airport contacts. The 15 airport contacts comprise three ECOWAS
staff-driver, Liaison, and Protocol Officer, Nigerian Ambassador to
Monrovia, two nursing staff and five airport passenger handlers.
“As of the time of this report, 20 contacts had been physically
screened of which 50 per cent had type one contact and 50 per cent had
had type two contact.
“Airline manifest has not been provided by the airline and therefore
the precise number of passenger contacts has yet to be ascertained,
especially as two flights were involved (Monrovia-Lome and Lome-Lagos).
There was no report of medical incident and the General Declaration
report of the flight,” he stated.
The commissioner assured that nobody in the country had been infected with the virus, as he advised Nigerians not to panic.
“We can categorically state that as of today, we have only one case
of imported Ebola and death. No Nigerian is infected, but all contacts
are being actively followed.
“We call on all Nigerians to be calm and not panic. We assure them
that both the state and the Federal Government are up in arms to ensure
that the virus did not escape and that no Nigeria is infected with this
virus.
“The National Centre for Disease Control of the Federal Ministry of
Health, in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the
World Health Organisation established an Incident Command Centre that
coordinates the Rapid Response Team activities on the field. Five
working groups were established, namely: (i) Contact tracing,
Surveillance & Laboratory (ii) Health education/Social mobilisation
(iii) Case management and infection prevention/control (iv) Logistics
(v) Data management.
“An Emergency Operations centre was also activated at the conference
room of Central Public Health Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos, which also
serves as the secretariat. WHO provided technical support and action
plan was developed. The Port Health Services of the FMOH, in
collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Aviation has put in motion
mechanisms to track down all contacts at high risk.
“An isolation ward has been designated by the Lagos State Ministry
of Health at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba for case management.
The designation of three other health facilities is underway,” Idris
said.
The commissioner, who said that the government was decontaminating
the First Consultants Hospital in Obalende where the Liberian was
taken to during his illness, added that his body was decontaminated
and cremated.
“Adhering strictly to WHO guidelines, the body of the deceased patient was decontaminated using 10 per cent sodium hypochlorite and
cremated, with the permission of the government of Liberia. A cremation
has been prepared for dispatch to the family. The vehicle that conveyed
the remains was also fully decontaminated,” Idris said.
In the same vein, the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola
on Health, Dr. Yewande Adesina, said Ebola illness initially gives
symptom of malaria and difficulty in eating.
“After these, the patient could be vomiting and stooling as if he has
diarrh0ea. Later, blood would be coming out from the eyes, ears, nose,
anus and private parts.
“So if we are taking care of a patient that we believe has malaria,
we should always wash our hands with water and soap. Once we recognise
the symptom of Ebola illness, we should alert the team set up by the
government and also monitor update through the media.
“Now, we advise that charms and prayers cannot stop the virus,” she said.
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