As Nigerians continued to mourn Dr. Stella Adadevoh on Wednesday, another sad news broke on Wednesday that five fresh suspected cases of Ebola Virus Disease had been reported in Lagos State.
The state Commsioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who announced this shortly after the Federal Government gave an indication that it might immortalise Adadevoh, said another Liberian was among the new suspected cases.
Adadevoh, the first confirmed Nigerian to be diagnosed with the EVD , died on Tuesday evening.
She contracted the disease while treating the index case, Mr, Patrick Sawyer, at the First Consultants Medical Centre, Lagos where she served as the Lead Consultant.
Before her death, Adadevoh was one of the three patients that were left at the Lagos isolation centre as of Monday.
Idris, who addressed journalists in Alausa, Ikeja, said before the five fresh cases were brought in, the Lagos isolation centre had two suspected Ebola patients.
He was however quick to explain that the Liberian, who was one of the five new cases, was allowed to go after getting a clean bill.
He said, “The fresh suspected cases have increased the number of those in isolation wards from two to six.
“Till date, we have recorded eight suspected cases, five of which were brought in yesterday(Tuesday). We have 12 confirmed cases on the whole out of which five have died and five have been discharged.
“We are currently following up on 213 contacts. Sixty two have completed the 21-day follow-up.”
The commissioner described Adadevoh and other health workers at the FCMC as heroes.
He said, “Yesterday (Tuesday), we recorded the death of the Senior Consultant/Endocrinologist of First Consultant, Dr. Adadevoh.
“She, it was, who took the initiative to intimate the ministry concerning the index case and subsequently to her credit, the moderate containment achieved.”
Idris said the state Ministry of Health was continuing with contact tracing which has now shifted from primary to secondary.
He added, “This is call for vigilance as human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from Ebola virus through body fluids such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, breast milk, semen and vomitus.
“Burial ceremonies where mourners, including family members, have direct contact with the corpse have also played a role in the spread. Direct contact with dead bodies should be minimised at this period.”
He insisted that the state was still not convinced that, a controversial trial drug, Nano Silver, could cure the virus.
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