Health Specialists Say Ebola Virus Is Not A Death Sentence ________________________________________ Following the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in Lagos, Nigeria, the Commissioner for Health of Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris, has urged citizens to be calm as having Ebola is not a death sentence. Speaking on Channel’s Television’s Saturday breakfast program, Sunrise, Dr Idris spoke on the issues revolving around the outbreak of the virus in Lagos and how it is being managed to avoid further spread. He stated that the mortality rate for the disease has been between 40% – 90% as many people have survived it. “If you have Ebola or you suspect people have contracted it, the people need to come out because that way you don’t infect other people and you’re quickly brought under treatment. Once its properly treated, chances are that they will survive”, he said. Dr Idris stated that the Lagos Government has succeed in providing information to citizens on how the disease can be transferred and emergency numbers to contact if there were any suspected cases. He affirmed that a total of 10 people have been confirmed to have the virus, with two of them reportedly dead – Patrick Sawyer and the nurse. Explaining that a body temperature which is above 38.5 degrees is usually one of the symptoms for detecting victims who have the virus, he disclosed that the Government was monitoring people that came in contact with the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, to prevent more spread. Also speaking on the Ebola virus outbreak, Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services, Dr Demola Onakomaiya, noted that the people mostly at risk of contacting the virus were the families of the victims and the health care providers. He advised that there should be an index suspicion rate, which is to take basic preventive measures. He added that the Federal Government has collaborated with other organisations to prevent the spread of the virus, adding that two cardinal steps to manage the virus was to have strong personal hygiene and massive sensitization. “Sensitization entails two ways, internal and external; the external party are the public while internal are the staffs so they know what is expected of them”, he said. Dr Onakomaiya confirmed that asides the sensitization currently going on, there was a device at the airport which would pick up high fever in suspected victims to curb the wide spread of the virus.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 16:48:26 +0000
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