FCTA confirms suspected case of Ebola in Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA)
said on Monday that it is expecting the result of test
conducted on a man who was suspected to have died
of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD in Asokoro General
Hospital in Abuja.
Badaru Salisu Yakasai, Head, Public Relations Unit
of the Health and Human Services Secretariat
(HHSS) said in a statement issued in Abuja on
Monday that the suspected Ebola patient died at the
weekend before the result of the test could be
released.
The statement read: "The Family Medicine unit of
Asokoro District hospital suspected Ebola disease in
a patient on admission at the Accident and
Emergency unit on the 28th of August 2014 and
immediately isolated the patient.
"Strict infection control measures were immediately
instituted. Blood sample was then taken to the
designated FCT Ebola testing laboratory which
happens to be within the Hospital premises.
"The epidemiology unit of Public Health Department
of the Health and Human Services Secretariat was
notified and their response was immediate. The
result of the Ebola testing was being expected from
the Laboratory four days later, on Monday the 1st of
September 2014.
"Unfortunately, the patient died the next day, Friday
29th August 2014."
Yakasai added that a number of medical staff of the
hospital who had contact with the patient have been
placed under surveillance.
He also added that the case has served as a drill case
to test the preparedness of the hospital to manage
and contain Ebola disease.
"Clinical assessment of the patient did not reveal any
history of contact or travel, however in view of the
high index of suspicion, isolation and strict infection
control measures were continued and the unit was
condoned off.
"The accident and emergency unit was temporarily
relocated to the General outpatient unit (GOPD). A
list of all Medical staff that had come into contact
with the patient has been compiled and they are all
under surveillance," it explained.
The statement further advised the general public not
to panic as the case of Ebola has not been confirmed
at the Hospital and the measures that have been put
in place are only precautionary in the interest of
public safety.
Earlier on Monday, at the 2nd Emergency National
Council on Health Meeting on the Ebola Virus
Disease Outbreak in Nigeria held in Abuja, the
Minister of Health; Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu
debunked the claims of the presence of the virus in
the Federal Capital Territory as rumored at the
weekend.
"The case of the Abuja hotel has been investigated
and proven that it was not a case of the EVD," he
said, adding that, the said person was not a Liberian
but a Nigerian working with the USAID.

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