NIGERIA-HEALTH-EBOLA/MINISTER Nigeria says it has contained Ebola, one case left to treat

Record ID: 236861

  • Title: NIGERIA-HEALTH-EBOLA/MINISTER Nigeria says it has contained Ebola, one case left to treat
  • Date: 8th September 2014
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (SEPTEMBER 8, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NIGERIA'S HEALTH MINISTER AND OFFICIALS SEATED VARIOUS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S HEALTH MINISTER, ONYEBUCHI CHUKWU, SAYING: "As of this morning, the total number of confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria is 19, fifteen in Lagos and 4 in Port Harcourt. The nineteenth case which had been actually in existence but not confirmed earlier is a fiancée of one of the primary contacts of Mr. Sawyers who died of the disease." VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS SEATED VARIOUS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S HEALTH MINISTER, ONYEBUCHI CHUKWU, SAYING: "Lagos now has 27 contacts as of this morning. A total of 339 contacts who were previously on surveillance have been discharged following the completion of the 21 day observation. That is in Lagos so the numbers keep falling each day but we have 27 contacts that have not completed 21 days. In Port Harcourt we have 477 contacts under surveillance. It is a mixed group consisting of tertiary and quaternary contacts of Mr. Sawyers." GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS SEATED WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAS FILMING
  • Embargoed: 23rd September 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2JUBBOR1Y025L8GZO2TYFU68L
  • Story Text: Nigeria's health minister said on Monday September 8) authorities had contained the Ebola outbreak that started in July, with only one out of 19 confirmed cases still being treated in isolation in the commercial capital Lagos.
    More than 2,000 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, with Nigeria recording 7 deaths out of 19 confirmed cases.
    Nigeria's health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu while speaking to journalists at a press briefing in Abuja, said there was only one case left to treat.
    "As of this morning, the total number of confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria is 19, fifteen in Lagos and 4 in Port Harcourt. The nineteenth case which had been actually in existence but not confirmed earlier is a fiancée of one of the primary contacts of Mr. Sawyers who died of the disease," the health minister said.
    Nigerian authorities are monitoring more than 400 people for signs of Ebola after they came in contact with a Port Harcourt doctor who died of the disease but hid the fact that he had been exposed.
    After having contact with an Ebola patient and before his own death on August 22, the Port Harcourt doctor, named by local authorities as Iyke Enemuo, carried on treating patients and met dozens of friends, relatives and medics, leaving about 60 of them at high risk of infection.
    The health minister said the number of contacts under surveillance in Lagos has reduced significantly but the Port Harcourt contacts had increased to over 400.
    "Lagos now has 27 contacts as of this morning. A total of 339 contacts who were previously on surveillance have been discharged following the completion of the 21 day observation. That is in Lagos so the numbers keep falling each day but we have 27 contacts that have not completed 21 days. In Port Harcourt we have 477 contacts under surveillance. It is a mixed group consisting of tertiary and quaternary contacts of Mr. Sawyers," the health minister added.
    The outbreak that was first identified in Guinea in March has since spread across much of Liberia and Sierra Leone.
    There are no approved Ebola vaccines or treatments.
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