Lagos State Goverbment has disclosed the discovery of five new cases of Ebola Virus Disease in the State.
It said the patients were brought to the Yaba Mainland Hospital, Lagos, on Tuesday.
Health Commissioner, Jide Idris, told newsmen on Wednesday that two of those cases were from secondary contacts.
“Till date, we have recorded eight suspected cases, five of which came in yesterday, 12 confirmed.
“On the whole, five have died (including the index case). We are currently following up 213 contacts, and 62 have completed the two-day follow-up”.
Idris also paid tributes to late Dr. Stella Adadevoh, the Senior Consultant and Endocrinologist at First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, and other health workers who had died from Ebola virus.
“She, (Dr. Adadevoh) it was, who took the initiative to intimate the Ministry concerning the index case – Liberian-American (Mr. Patrick Sawyer) and substantially to her credit the moderate containment achieved is owed”, said Dr. Idris.
“She led the team who attended to the index case. Her doggedness and commitment to duty saw her personally reviewing the case even though the patient had earlier been seen by a doctor.
“The Ministry of Health commiserates with their families, co-workers, friends and loved ones on these irreparable losses which was on the line of duty”, he added.
Dr. Idris further disclosed that the government’s “vigorous” contact tracing is now shifting from primary to secondary contacts.
“The mode of spread remains mainly transmission from an infected person in an infective state and from an infected animal (bat, monkey, etc) to a person.
“This is a call for vigilance as human to human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill (fever being a key sign) from Ebola virus through body fluids such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, breast milk, semen, and vomitus.
“Burial ceremonies, where mourners including family members have direct contact with patients who died of Ebola, have also played a role in the spread and direct contact with dead bodies should be minimized at this period, even as washing and burial/disposal of such bodies should be professionally handled with safety to personal health of handlers being a cardinal focus” he further stated.
The Commissioner urged Lagos residents not to panic as health personnel were in place to manage the current cases, while efforts were doubled to secure the services of more volunteers to cope with any contingency.
“Certain concerns had been raised regarding those already discharged. I wish to re-assure you that the discharge process was in line with WHO International Health Regulations and they are still being followed up.
“I encourage persons who have come in contact with infected persons to report early for treatment as such improves chances of survival”, he said.
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