Nigeria Is Not Ebola Free Yet – Health Minister

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu Wednesday said that the risk of transmission still exist as long as there is still Ebola Virus disease in West Africa.

He therefore cautioned that Nigerians should not be carried away with euphoria over the successful containment of the Ebola Virus Disease.

“I don’t want Nigerians to panic but I don’t want us to be carried away with Euphoria because if we still have one case of Ebola Virus Disease, it is an emergency because the World Health Organization defines Ebola epidemic as when one person is infected with the disease. We have to be cautious as long as there is still a victim in the country,” he said.

Chukwu had earlier disclosed that seven patients of the disease have been treated and declared free from the virus in the country, with the number of deaths from the killer disease maintained at five, including the index case, Patrick Sawyer.

Chukwu added that the nation has had 13 cases of EVD including the index case.

“Of these 13, five including the index case unfortunately did not survive the disease and are now late.

“However, seven of the infected persons were successfully managed at the isolation ward in Lagos and have been discharged.

“Two of the treated patients, a male doctor and a female nurse were discharged yesterday, both of them primary contacts of Mr. Patrick Sawyer, having satisfied the criteria for discharge.

“As I speak to you, Nigeria has only one confirmed case of EVD, a secondary contact of Mr Patrick Sawyer. This is an indication that, thus far, Nigeria has contained the disease outbreak.

“I wish to reassure Nigerians and indeed the global community that the government shall remain vigilant and will not relent as government continues to work with her partners to ensure that the disease is kept out of the country,” the Minister added.