BREAKING: Ebola In Kaduna State

There are reports that Kaduna state has recorded its first suspected case of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

A 19- year old Law student of the Ahmadu Bello University is has been diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus in Kaduna.

The Public Relations Officer, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, Bilyaminu Umar, confirming the Ebola case to Vanguard via phone, on Monday said the student has been admitted ABUTH, Shika, Zaria.

“I am presently not in town. But I can tell you that a law student who has been ill for some times, has shown signs of the Ebola fever. But we are still studying the development. He has already been quarantine. And all safety measures are in place. So there is no need for panic. I cannot tell you more than this” he said.

Meanwhile Kaduna State commissioner for Health, Dr Thot Dogo who confirmed the Ebola case said: “The hospital (ABUTH) authorities alerted the Ministry when it suspected that a student who is a Law undergraduate of ABU, Zaria started showing some signs of ebola symptoms like high fever and rashes on his body after over a week he was admitted at the hospital.

“The blood sample of the patient has been taken to a laboratory in Lagos for tests, which will come out by Tuesday next week.

“The outcome of the laboratory result will determine further actions.

“The state government has provided the hospital management with protective equipment for its team of medical personnels attending to the patient,” he said.

Experts have, however said that a definitive test will confirm if a suspected Ebola patients is really infected as not all patients who manifest some symptoms of the virus end up testing positive to the disease.

The Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, who is the Chairman, Kaduna state Ebola Prevention and Control Committee has said the situation should not cause panic in the state saying: “Kaduna state Governor, Dr. Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, in his wisdom, has disignated three Ebola quarantine and prevention centers in the three senatorial zones of the state just for this kinds of emergencies. We have all the equipment and the personnels and two of the sites are ready.”

Earlier today, it was reported that Bayelsa state was thrown into panic, following the rumour that three Ebola patients had been secretly quarantined at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri in Yenagoa by the state Ministry of Health personnel.

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Monday, September 1 announced that 271 people suspected to have contracted the Ebola virus have been placed under surveillance.

The minister said that it was expected that a few more contacts could develop the EVD.

On Thursday, August 28, the first recorded death from Ebola in Portharcourt was confirmed, a doctor who secretly treated an ECOWAS diplomat who had contact with Patrick Sawyer (index case).

It would also be recalled that on August 14, Kwara State Government announced its first case of Ebola in the state.

Recently, the director of the Centers for Disease Control Tom Frieden says the Ebola epidemic currently ravaging West Africa will worsen before it gets better.

According to World Health Organization,WHO, the Ebola outbreak is the worst ever, as it has reported more than 1,550 cases of people infected with the deadly disease.