6th September, 2014
The Delta Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, has dismissed claim that a patient purportedly suffering from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) died at Eku Specialist Hospital, Eku in Delta.
His reaction was contained in a statement signed by the commissioner, made available on Friday in Asaba.
Ogeah said that there is no outbreak of EVD in the state, adding that, the story making the rounds was completely false.
“The true situation is that a diabetic woman who had earlier been undergoing treatment at Eku hospital returned from a visit to Port Harcourt and reported at the hospital where she died.
“As a patient with a history of diabetes at the hospital, her status was well known.
“However, it emerged that she was a victim of unusual salt intake as a result of the large quantity of salt she consumed when people were falsely led to believe that drinking salt solution would prevent EVD”.
He said there was no time the patient manifested any Ebola symptom nor was she known to have had any contact with an Ebola patient.
“The state government hereby assures all residents that there is no Ebola patient in the state. The stories about an Ebola patient or death in any hospital in the state should be disregarded. We hereby declare emphatically that there is no Ebola outbreak in the state.
“Residents should go about their normal duties without any fear.”
The commissioner, however, urged residents to remain vigilant and maintain good hygiene.