Ebola - Deceased Doctor's Sister Discharged, 18-Month-Old Quarantined

Port Harcourt — Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Dr Sampson Parker, said yesterday in Port Harcourt that the younger sister of the first victim of the Ebola virus disease in the state, Dr. Iyke Samuel Enemuo, who also tested positive to the virus, has been discharged from the isolation centre.



Dr Parker who spoke to newsmen said the woman is doing fine.

He said the woman who was identified as Chinyere was successfully managed and that she does not have the virus anymore.

"She has been effectively treated, cleared and discharged from our isolation treatment centre. She deserves to be celebrated as a success story," he said.

He cautioned members of the public against stigmatisation, saying malaria kills more people than the Ebola virus.

He added that an 18-month-old baby who showed Ebola symptoms has been quarantined.

"I can assure you that the disease has been covered, but people should exercise caution. The number of deaths from Ebola is lower than those from road accidents," he said.

Meanwhile, the commissioner has insisted that the virus did not cause any expatriate to leave the state.

Parker said the government has not received any report to that effect.

"Rather, expatriates have been coming to the state. Some people leave while others come in. When a group finishes its term, it leaves. People are still coming to do business in the state. The international community has been very cooperative; they understand the situation. They are careful but we have not seen any drift," he said.

Some of expatriates of Asian and European descent, who chose to remain anonymous, said they have been cautious since the disease was first recorded in Lagos.

One of the expatriates supervising the construction of Rumuolumeni road in Port Harcourt said, "we are aware of the outbreak of Ebola in Nigeria. But, we are impressed with the way the Nigerian government handled it. I am more impressed with President Goodluck Jonathan's immediate response. Instead of blaming anybody, he tackled it head on and we have seen the results today."

 

By Victor Edozie

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Ebola - Deceased Doctor's Sister Discharged, 18-Month-Old Quarantined