The Federal Government
has dispatched a team of medical team to Calabar, Cross River state ascertain
the suspected Ebola scare. The accident and emergency ward of the University of Calabar
Teaching Hospital has been shut down following an Ebola Virus scare.
The
scare was as a result of the death of a patient, who died at about 2pm,
after symptoms related to the deadly Ebola virus manifested before he finally
passed away.
The Nation reports:
Reports
say the patient, whose identity could not be ascertained, was brought in from
Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State on Tuesday with
high body temperature while at the same time was vomiting, stooling and
bleeding from nose.
The
patient died shortly after samples were taken from him for investigation.
However,
the Federal Ministry of Health has ruled out the case of Ebola,
saying that it suspected that the patient could have died of Haemorrhagic
fever.
Prof.
Abdulsalam Nasidi, Director National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) told our
reporters that a team has been dispatched to Calabar to verify the case.
He
also said that the government is awaiting the result of the laboratory
investigation.
Nasidi
also assured Nigerians that there was nothing to fear about as appropriate
measures have been taken to protect the people and even those who might have
had contact with the patient.
He
further said that the Federal Government team is already on ground to assist
the state.
The
Hospital accident and emergency ward has already been quarantined in order to
curtail any spread in the eventuality that it was a case of Ebola.
Chairman
of Medical Advisory Committee, who also doubles as the Deputy Chief Medical
Director of UCTH, Queeneth Kalu, according to report has said that the patient
was suspected to have died of Haemorrhagic fever.
She
said, “Yes, we had a patient that was suspected to have died of Haemorrhagic
fever but it does not call for panic as everything is under control. There is
no need for the public to be scared of EVD as it is not confirmed.”
The
patient it gathered was brought in on Tuesday vomiting, stooling and
bleeding from the nose and mouth. He however died around 2pm and his
body has been quarantined while the ward was shut down.
Nigeria had its first dose
of Ebola disease on 20th July 2014 when one Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian
stole into the country after been affected with the deadly disease. But the
country’s medical team rose up to the occasion to curtain it’s spread,
with minimal casualty as the country recorded seven death.
Ina another story, The Nation reports the Cross River
Government says it is awaiting results of blood samples of a patient, who died
at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) with symptoms of viral
hemorrhagic fever.
Dr.
Sunday Omini, Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, said
this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Calabar.
Omini
was reacting to media reports that a suspected Ebola patient died in UCTH on
Wednesday.
“We
are aware of the situation and we have got preliminary reports from the
hospital, and we are all awaiting the result of the blood samples.
“But
judging from the information I have received so far, I am 90 per cent sure that
it is not Ebola.
“`However,
we are on top of the situation, there is no cause for alarm,’’ he said.
Meanwhile,
the management of UCTH said it had informed all relevant agencies about the
development, including the National Centre for Disease Control, Federal
Ministry of Health and Cross River government.
This
is contained in a statement issued by Dr Queeneth Kalu, Chairman, Medical
Advisory Committee (CMAG), on behalf of the Medical Director of the hospital.
The
statement t said the public would be informed adequately as soon as results of
the blood samples were released, adding that the hospital management had
quarantined identified contacts.
“Further information will be
made available as soon as we receive the results of the samples sent for
analysis,’’ it said.
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