New Ebola case confirmed in Rivers

With the confirmation of a new case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Port Harcourt, the total number of verified patients has risen to 19. Fifteen of these cases are in Lagos and four in Port Harcourt.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, disclosed Monday at a press briefing in Abuja that the 19th case was the fiancé of one of the primary contacts of Mr. Patrick Sawyer who died of the disease.

But, Chinyere Enemuo, who contracted the disease while tending to her late brother, Dr. Ike Enemuo, has been discharged after successful treatment in a special isolation unit in Oduoha, Rivers State- this is good news!

And as it battles to contain the spread of the virus, the Rivers State government has said it will review the September 22 announced by the Federal Government for the resumption of primary and secondary schools.

The State Commissioner for Health, Sampson Parker, yesterday announced that health workers at the Oduoha isolation unit had successfully treated the sister of the late Dr. Enemuo, who, almost two weeks ago, test positive for the Ebola disease.

According to him, after tests conducted on Chinyere, which turned out negative, health officials drawn from the federal and state Ministries of Health, World Health Organisation, Doctors without Boarder, at the centre, resolved to discharge her.

      "Chinyere Enemuo is well and
       is being discharged. In fact, we
       should actually celebrate her
       because she conscientiously
       nursed her brother, helped
       him and had this disease and
       we thank God that today she is
       well and being discharged
       home, free. In fact, she is safe.
       Like the minister will say, she
       is one person you can admit
       into your house knowingly that
       this one will not give you Ebola,"
       he said.

Parker said he was exhilarated that Chinyere was now immune and could not have a Zairean strain of Ebola again. He revealed that health officials handling the Ebola outbreak in the country were considering making an appeal to those who had been successfully treated of Ebola to donate their blood for the treatment of others. According to him, when someone suffers from viral disease, his or her body naturally develops antibodies that help to combat the disease.

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