Ebola Scare: CRSG Awaits Patient’s Test Results …FG Sends Experts

L-R: Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari; Senator representing FCT, Senator Philip Aduda, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during a meeting of President Buhari with leadership of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Wednesday.

The Cross River State Government says it is awaiting results of blood samples of a patient, who died at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) with symptoms of viral hemorrhagic fever.
The Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Sunday Omini, said this yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Calabar.
Omini was reacting to media reports that a suspected Ebola patient died in UCTH on Wednesday.
“We are aware of the situation and we have got preliminary reports from the hospital, and we are all awaiting the result of the blood samples.
“But judging from the information I have received so far, I am 90 per cent sure that it is not Ebola.
“However, we are on top of the situation, there is no cause for alarm,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the management of UCTH says it has informed all relevant agencies about the development, including the National Centre for Disease Control, Federal Ministry of Health and Cross River State  Government.
This is contained in a statement issued by Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAG), Dr Queenet Kalu, on behalf of the Medical Director of the hospital.
The statement  said the public would be informed adequately as soon as results of the blood samples were released, adding that the hospital management had quarantined identified contacts.
“Further information will be made available as soon as we receive the results of the samples sent for analysis,’’ it said.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has dispatched a team of medical team to Calabar, Cross River state to ascertain the suspected Ebola scare.
The accident and emergency ward of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital has been shut down following an Ebola Virus scare.
The scare was as a result of the death of a patient, who died at about 2pm, after symptoms related to the deadly Ebola virus manifested before he finally passed away.
Reports say the patient, whose identity could not be ascertained, was brought in from Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State on Tuesday with high body temperature while at the same time was vomiting, stooling and bleeding from nose.
The patient died shortly after samples were taken from him for investigation.
However, the Federal Ministry of Health has ruled out the case of Ebola, saying that it suspected that the patient could have died of Haemorrhagic fever.
According to the Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi, a team has been dispatched to Calabar to verify the case.
He also said that the government is awaiting the result of the laboratory investigation.
Nasidi said, “The NCDC team is on the ground and containment measures are already being put in place. The samples are being tested and we should know (the result) by tomorrow (Friday).
“The Federal Ministry of Health is sending additional support tomorrow (Friday).”
Nasidi also assured Nigerians that there was nothing to fear about as appropriate measures have been taken to protect the people and even those who might have had contact with the patient.
He further said that the Federal Government team is already on ground to assist the state.
The hospital accident and emergency ward has already been quarantined in order to curtail any spread in the eventuality that it was a case of Ebola.