‘Careless nurse’ spreads Ebola scare to Enugu

The minister of information, Mr Labaran Maku, on Wednesday disclosed that 21 people were under surveillance for Ebola in Enugu following a trip to the state by a nurse exposed to the virus. “This is because one of the nurses that were involved in the treatment of the index case, unfortunately disobeyed medical instructions and somehow travelled to Enugu. All those who she was in contact with including her husband are under quarantine. The medical team has been able to trace all those who made contact with her,” the minister said while speaking to reporters after the federal executive council meeting. He said in all, 198 people suspected to carry the virus had been traced. “Out of this number, 177 are in Lagos. Some are in quarantine; some are being monitored by health specialists,” he added. Maku further said that health workers were now in the country’s border units – both entry and exit points.
 “We have port health workers that are working in our airports and seaports,” he said. “We are calling on citizens specifically to cooperate. If health workers say you have had contact with A, B, C, don’t move to anywhere, respect that judgment. It is very important. “In one or two cases where we have had disobedience, we lost one of them and this one now moved with it to another place (Enugu). So we are urging Nigerians, please to help us in making sure that all these messages and appeals we are making on you, we implement them. The minister noted that the government had set up a committee to look into claims of  vaccines or a cure for Ebola. “In terms of possible treatment, the ministry of health set up a special committee specifically to take claims from Nigerians who believe they could help and so far we have had a lot of reports from Nigerians at home and abroad who come forward to say look they have possibility of developing therapies that could help in fighting the virus.
 There is no cure so far, anywhere in the world. Even the trial drug in the US is still a trial drug, it has not been established,” he said. “One of the doctors and research experts that came forward was Dr Simon Agwale who has been one of the front-line global researchers on developing vaccines for HIV and other viral diseases. “He also came forward and said he could help, both in terms of working out to develop a vaccine, which he said he has started work on between himself and his fellow experts in the US and he said this is ongoing. The minister of health has given support and directed him to the committee. He also discussed the possibility of certain therapy they can now use which could be applied. And again that is being discussed. And once it is approved, it could be used,” he said.