22nd August, 2014
By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
Nigeria Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has announced that two more Nigerians have been infected with the deadly Ebola Virus Disease.
The Minister said the two new cases are spouses of medical personnel who had contacts with Liberian-America Patrick Sawyer, Nigeria’s first index case.
The two patients thus became the first secondary contacts to test positive for the deadly virus in Nigeria.
Nigeria has put all the secondary contacts of those who had contacts with Sawyer on surveillance since the death of the Liberian American, Sawyer, was discovered to be infected with the disease two days after his admission at First Consultant Clinic, Lagos last month.
He had taken ill immediately on arrival at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and was taken to the hospital for treatment. 11 Nigerians contracted the disease directly from him.
These two new cases bring the total number of confirmed infections in Nigeria, including the traveller, to 14.
The minister noted that of the patients have died, five have recovered and four are being treated in Lagos.