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Friday, August 1, 2014

Ebola: Edo calls for vigilance

Edo State government has announced that there is no trace of the deadly Ebola disease in the state. The government, however, advised the people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious case to the nearest health facility.
The state Commissioner for Health,
Dr. Aihanuwa Eregie, at a press briefing yesterday,  said her ministry, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health partners, had carried out disease surveillance activities in all parts of the state to ensure early detection of any outbreak and the timely containment and control of same.
The commissioner said since a case of the deadly Ebola virus had been confirmed in Nigeria, there was need for everyone to be extra vigilant to prevent the virus in Edo State because of the highly contagious nature of the disease.
The commissioner explained that Ebola virus was a deadly infectious viral hemorrhagic disease affecting humans and was usually transmitted from infected persons to others by direct close contact through body fluids and secretion.
She said many animals including monkeys, chimpanzees, bats, antelopes, porcupines, gorillas, amongst others, were known to be the hosts, adding that signs of the disease included sudden onset of fever, weakness, muscle pains, headaches and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and impaired kidney and liver functions.
Eregie said the disease might progress to internal and external bleeding, organ failure and consequently death, noting that the disease initially manifested like other ailments like malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis, cholera, diarrhea, Lassa fever and meningitis.
The Health Commissioner said the disease could be diagnosed through laboratory tests and could be prevented by avoiding contact with likely infected animals (dead or alive) and infected persons and corpses of victims, in addition to adhering to strict personal hygiene.
She stressed that any suspicious case in the community should be reported to the nearest health facility, the local government or state Ministry of Health immediately.
She stressed that there was no cure and vaccines to prevent it yet and advised health workers to observe standard precautions at all times including hand washing routines and use of personal protective equipment.

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