Edo State Government has announced that there is no trace of the deadly Ebola disease in the State. The Government however advised the people to remain vigilant and report any suspicious case to the nearest health facility.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Aihanuwa Eregie, at a press briefing Thursday said the state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health partners have carried out disease surveillance activities in all parts of the state to ensure early detection of any outbreak and the timely containment and control of same.
The Commissioner said since a case of the deadly Ebola has been confirmed in Nigeria, there was need for everyone to be extra vigilant to prevent the virus in Edo because of the highly contagious nature of the disease.
Eregie explained that Ebola virus is a deadly infectious viral hemorrhagic disease that affects humans and is usually transmitted from infected persons to another by direct close contact through body fluids and secretion.
She said that many animals including monkeys, chimpanzees, bats, antelope, porcupines, gorillas amongst others, are known to be the hosts, adding that signs of the disease include sudden onset fever, weakness, muscle pains, headaches and sore throat followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash and impaired kidney and liver functions.
Eregie said the disease may progress to internal and external bleeding, organ failure and consequently death noting that the disease initially manifest like other ailments like malaria, typhoid fever, hepatitis, cholera, diarrhoea, Lassa fever and meningitis.
The Health Commissioner said the disease can be diagnosed through laboratory tests and can be prevented by avoiding contact with likely infected animals (dead or alive) and infected persons and corpses of victims, in addition to adhering to strict personal hygiene.
She stressed that any suspicious case in the community should be reported to the nearest health facility, the Local Government or state Ministry of Health immediately.
