Ebola: Jonathan summons govs as another nurse tests positive

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has summoned all the 36 state governors and their health commissioners   to an urgent meeting on the outbreak of the Ebola Virus disease in the country.

Jonathan, who made this known during a conference organised by the Interfaith Initiative For Peace in Abuja on Monday, said it was “unfortunate that one mad man” brought the virus to Nigeria.

Before he spoke, the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, had disclosed at a news   conference that Nigeria had recorded another   Ebola case, the 10th so far.

The case involves   a nurse, who is one of the health workers that managed Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American in a Lagos hospital that brought the deadly virus to Nigeria on July 20. He died on July 25 and is the first known Ebola index case in the country.

The matron of the Lagos hospital   died last week at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba, Lagos where the   seven other   known Ebola cases are being managed by experts.

The meeting between Jonathan, governors and health commissioners   will hold at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

Ebola: NSA warned health ministry before Sawyer’s visit

| credits: AFP

Indications have emerged that the Office of the National Security Adviser warned the Office of the Minister of Health of the grave implications of the Ebola virus to national security and the need for steps to be taken 10 days before the infamous visit of the Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, to Lagos.

The NSA office in a letter dated July 10, 2014 alerted to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, to the need to follow a guideline against the Ebola virus, which according to the letter, was at the ‘doorstep of the country.’

It was stated in the letter with ref. no. NSA/A/208/C, signed by a senior officer in the NSA’s office, Brig. Gen. TT Waya (retd.), that the guideline was meant to provide a working plan to guide the health ministry to take proactive steps to combat any possible outbreak of the disease in Nigeria.

How Lagos nursing mother contracted Ebola virus – Doctor

| credits: Photo: Samson Folarin

A medical doctor has revealed how a nursing mother contracted the deadly Ebola virus at a Lagos hospital.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the woman was the patient who visited the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation staff clinic on Muri Okunola Street in the Victoria Island area of Lagos.

NNPC had issued a press statement on Friday, saying that the clinic would be shut due to a suspected case of Ebola reported in the clinic.

Our correspondent gathered from the source, who had a first-hand information of the incident, that the nursing mother had first visited the First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende.

He said, “The lady attended ante-natal at First Consultant prior to the arrival of the Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer. She was delivered of her baby at the hospital after which she was discharged.

“A few weeks later, Mr. Sawyer came around and was attended to by health workers. He was first treated for malaria, then typhoid, before there was high index of suspicion. He tested positive for Ebola and died.

“Then the woman, who gave birth at the hospital came back to the hospital for her baby’s immunisation. The nurses who attended to Sawyer also attended to her.

“When she visited the place again last week, she discovered the place had been shut down for proper fumigation as a means of control against Ebola.”

He said the nursing mother decided to visit a neighbouring clinic which was the NNPC clinic.

He said it was there she began her treatment after she fell ill.

“She was first treated for Malaria. However, after some medical tests, there was a high suspicion of Ebola haemorrhagic fever.

“On Friday, the Lagos State’s emergency response team on Ebola virus came around and took her to the Infectious Diseases Hospital,” he added.

Our correspondent learnt that the yet-to-be-identified mother and her baby, who were taken away from the hospital on Friday, had been quarantined.

Confirming the report, the Medical Officer of Health, Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area, Dr. Wale Akeredolu, said the patient tested positive to the Ebola virus after a second test was conducted on her.

He confirmed the incident at a sensitisation programme organised for residents of the Eti-Osa Local Government Area by the council on Monday.

He added, “The baby has also been quarantined to see if after the incubation period of two to 21 days, she would manifest the symptoms of Ebola.”

The council boss, Abayomi Daramola, appealed to residents not to shirk their responsibilities on the pretext of running away from the virus.

He said, “This is a trying time in Nigeria. But the presence of Ebola does not mean people should run away from their responsibilities. The public apprehension is what can even spread the disease faster. So, people should just follow personal hygiene, use sanitisers and wash their hands regularly.”

Passenger slumps, dies at Lagos airport 

There was confusion at the Arrival Hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday, as a passenger slumped and died.

Sources at the airport told our correspondent that the passenger slumped in front of the Port Health Services office, while waiting to collect his vaccination card, usually known as Yellow Card.

Some staff and passengers fled the scene following the man’s collapse, as they feared he was infected with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.

His body was covered with an orange-coloured cloth and left unattended to by the office. However, the area was barricaded to forestall people coming there, as people were redirected to pass other routes.

Our correspondent gathered that the dead man was supposed to fly to Ghana for medical check-up when he suddenly collapsed at the airport and died.

Council boss opposes Ebola hospital

Chairman, Kuje Area Council, Shaban Tete, on Monday objected to the choice of the Kuje General Hospital as the treatment centre for Ebola, arguing that the decision has triggered tension in the area.

Tete suggested to the government to consider setting up of a specialist centre for the management of the viral disease.

The council chairman, who raised the objection during a stakeholders meeting on Ebola management, in Abuja, convened by the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, said he was not comfortable with the choice of the hospital for the treatment of Ebola.

“We in Kuje are in trouble. This issue is a deadly virus,” he said.

Obviously irked by his comments, the minister told the council boss not to rebel against a decision taken in the best interest of the FCT.

Mohammed said, “You see chairman of Kuje, I am not going to scold you for intransigence but I will tell you that you are operating from a point of ignorance. We cannot seat down here with experts from all over the world to import a disease to Kuje.

U.S. ratchets up Ebola response, officials on high alert

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By Patricia Zengerle and Julie Steenhuysen

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO (Reuters) - The director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told lawmakers on Thursday he has activated the agency's emergency operation center at the highest response level to fight the worst Ebola outbreak in history.

Dr Thomas Frieden testified at an emergency hearing that the CDC has more than 200 staff members in Atlanta working on the outbreak, and will soon have more than 50 disease experts in West Africa.

Frieden said he was "confident there will not be a large Ebola outbreak in the United States." However, he said it was possible that people who have traveled to West Africa might bring the virus back home with them, and even spread it to some healthcare workers and family members.

Frieden said it is not clear whether experimental treatments that were given to two infected U.S. aid workers will ultimately be effective. The two are now being cared for at Emory University in Georgia.

Robin Williams Dead of Apparent Suicide at 63

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Robin Williams, the manic comic who morphed from TV's Mork from Ork to Oscar-winning glory, is dead of an apparent suicide. He was 63.

Emergency personnel were called to Williams's home in Tiburon, California, at 11:55 a.m. local time, per the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

Williams was found unconscious and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are investigating the death, and an autopsy is forthcoming, but initial evidence points to "a suicide due to asphyxia," according to Marin Sheriff's Lt. Keith Boyd.

In a brief statement, publicist Mara Buxbaum said Williams had been "battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time."

"This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend," said Williams's wife, Susan Schneider.

"While the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions."