The federal ministry of health has confirmed another case of Ebola virus in Nigeria bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 10.
The virus has been steadily spreading within the country since the first case was reported when Liberian Patrick Sawyer made his way to Lagos, Nigeria.
The present spread of the virus, termed the deadliest ever was said to have started from a 2-year old child in Guinea and has steadily spread through ther West African sub region.
A total of 177 people – both primary and secondary contacts – are now under surveillance. Those initially under surveillance were 59.
The minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has revealed that the latest victim is a nurse. and her husband has been placed under surveillance.
Chukwu said: “We have succeeded in identifying all the primary contacts”, Chukwu said, dousing the fears of Nigerians that the disease might have spiralled out of control.
“President Goodluck Jonathan approved the National Ebola Virus Disease Emergency Containment Plan with immediate cash backing of N1.9bn to further complement the containment efforts already in place.
“The federal government, through the federal ministry of health and its agencies, works very closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local authorities and other international partners to further deepen and broaden these containment efforts.”
“I wish to reiterate that the federal government of Nigeria shall continue to discharge its responsibilities within the sub region as we collectively confront and stop this outbreak of Ebola.”
