One of the people who helped 40-year-old Liberian, Patrick Sawyer,( Nigeria’s first Ebola case) on the Monrovia-Lome and Lome-Lagos flight may have been infected with the virus, a top official said. The source who is an official at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos said on Wednesday, that although they had yet to confirm, the person was showing feverish symptoms similar to that of Ebola virus.
“We are still investigating and monitoring those who had first contact with Sawyer. One of the people who helped him off the plane is showing signs of fever, a symptom of Ebola. We have isolated them and we are carrying out various tests to establish if it is Ebola or not.” He said. However, when contacted the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, denied that none of the people that had been isolated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, was sick. Adeshina said, “No one is sick. We are doing a routine surveillance at the centre now and I can tell you that no one is sick or showing symptoms. We are just monitoring them because we are going by the World Health Organisation’s guidelines of prevention, treatment and management.” The Lagos State Government had on Monday said 59 people in the state came in contact with the 40-year-old Liberian who died of Ebola virus in the state on July 25. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said this figure consisted of 44 healthcare workers and 15 others at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. They include 44 hospital contacts (38 healthcare 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.
Source: PUNCH
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