Ebola: 21 in contact with Lagos Nurse to be Quarantined In Enugu

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As the Federal Government intensifies the battle to contain the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in the country, another set of 21 persons have been quarantined.

The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who disclosed this Wednesday, said the 21 people had contact with a nurse, who earlier had primary contact with the Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, who imported the virus into Lagos and died on July 25.

Maku, who was briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Cabinet meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, said the nurse defiled medical directives and travelled from Lagos to Enugu.

He said it was only wise that all the 21 people that have been identified to have had contact with the Lagos nurse should be quarantined.

The Minister however assured that several measures are being put in place to curb the spread.

He also assured that the measures have passed the tests of the international organisations operating in the country, including the American International Agencies for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, WHO, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF and other relevant bodies.

However, Maku advised Nigerians and warned those who have contacts with the victim to obey government directives to limit their movements so as to reduce the spread of the disease.
His words, “The international organizations have no need to panic as government is making strong efforts to bring the situation under control.

“The measures we have put in place show professionalism and confidence to ensure that this virus does not spread beyond where it is today.

“Even the World Health Organization has expressed satisfaction with the measures that we have put in place so far, so there should be no need for any anxiety over the existence of the virus in Nigeria.

“There is a strong team in place that has been working and tracing the secondary cases. So far, a total of 198 persons have been isolated, with 177 in Lagos alone and 21 persons in Enugu state, that have been quarantined”.

Also, Maku said government is collaborating with transport owners and operators to prevent the transmission of the virus through the nation’s land borders while protective materials are being provided.

So far, two Ebola deaths have been recorded in Nigeria- a Liberian, Patrick Sawyer and one of the Nigerian nurses that treated him.