Nigeria has received an experimental drug from unnamed Nigerian scientist to treat Ebola virus, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, said in Abuja, on Thursday. Chukwu, who gave the cheering news at a news conference, gave the name of the drug as “Nanosilver.”
According to Chukwu, “the only experimental drug we have now is Nanosilver, provided by a Nigerian scientist; details of the drug will be disclosed later to the media.”
Chukwu said the suspected cases reported in Abia, Anambra, and Abuja were investigated and proved negative.
He added that Cross River was also free of the disease, adding that the nurse under surveillance in Lagos, who travelled to Enugu, was back in Lagos with members of her family for close monitoring.
“Nobody in Enugu has Ebola disease, all cases are still confined within Lagos,” said Chukwu.
Another Nigerian doctor tests positive
Another Nigerian doctor, who was part of the team that treated Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, has fallen victim of the Ebola virus. The minister confirmed the latest case of the doctor, who took ill as a result of the Ebola virus on Thursday.
The doctor had been one of those involved in the initial treatment of Sawyer, who collapsed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 20. Chukwu told the press in Abuja, on Thursday, that Nigeria was doing all it could to contain the virus.
“Eight (others) are still alive, more than half of them are doing very well and actually showing signs of recovery under treatment,” Chukwu said.
Death toll now 4
Another Nigerian nurse has succumbed to death, following infection with the Ebola virus. The nurse was one of those who treated the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer. Minister of Health, Professor Chukwu, who revealed this in a statement on Thursday, said the death of the nurse brought to four, the number of those who had died of the Ebola virus disease. Chukwu said the number of infected still remained 10.
7-month-old shows symptoms in Kwara
A seven-month-old baby, in Ilorin, on Wednesday, showed symptoms related to Ebola virus disease.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, on Thursday, the state chairman of the committee on control of Ebola disease, Professor Sunday Opabola, who said there was no confirmed case of the disease in the state as being speculated, said tests carried out on the baby had already been taken to two centres in Lagos.
The state government also said the suspect had been taken to one of the quarantine centres set up in the state, while it allayed fear of outbreak of the disease in the state. Professor Opabola said the result of the tests were expected to be out today, adding that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed had ordered for test equipment to be installed at the state Advanced Diagnostic Centre in Ilorin.
Opabola, who said that government had commenced trace contact, added that it was carrying out the measure with the use of standards recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO), to ensure the state is safe.
According to him, the baby was found with symptoms not exclusive to Ebola disease, but also had to do with those of Lassa fever, cholera, malaria and some others. He explained that the baby was brought to Ilorin by his parents who had come to the town for a visit from Ibadan, after one of those taking care of him had returned to Ibadan from Lagos.
He said the baby initially came up with symptoms of malaria and was being treated for about two days without improvement, before his mother was advised to take him to a private pediatric specialist hospital in Ilorin.
Opabola disclosed that the pediatrician medical director carried out a clinical assessment on the patient and discovered Ebola-like symptoms. He said though it was not yet established that the baby’s case was Ebola, the government was taking proactive measures to keep the people safe.
NYSC to screen prospective corps members
Chairman, National Governing Board for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Chief Gordon Bozimo, has announced that prospective corps members would, henceforth, undergo Ebola screening before access to camp.
Bozimo, who disclosed this while visiting the permanent orientation camp in Ekiti State, on Thursday, said the move was part of measures to prevent the disease from being spread among Nigerian youths at the various orientation camps across the country.
The NYSC chairman, during a one-day visit to the 2014 Batch “B” corps members at the Ekiti NYSC permanent orientation camp, Ise-Ekiti, in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of the state, said prospective corps members would have to undergo compulsory screening before “they are allowed into the premises of the orientation camps.
The NYSC board chairman added that currently, there had not been any record of the disease among corps members on orientation camps across the nation.
Enugu sets up 4 isolation centres
To stem further spread of Ebola virus, the Enugu State government, on Thursday, set up four isolation centres in the state, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr George Eze has said.
Briefing newsmen in Enugu, on Thursday, Dr Eze stated that the designated centres were Colliery Hospital, Enugu, District hospital, Ikem, Nsukka District hospital, Nsukka and Oji-River District hospital, Oji-river.
Eze, who dispelled the media reports that a Lagos nurse had spread the Ebola virus to Enugu, explained that the victim and her husband were flown back to Lagos immediately she sneaked to the Coal City a week ago.
The lady who came down to Enugu was not quarantined in Enugu, but was put under surveillance. You do not put somebody who is well under quarantine. It is only when you develop symptom that you can transmit the virus. When you have very high virile mood, when you work around, you cannot transmit the virus,” he added.
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