Four Ebola Patients Discharged in Lagos, 3 New Cases Confirmed

According to him, they include two male medical doctors and one female nurse.

The three, he said participated in the treatment of the index case involving the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer while the fourth person was a female patient that was on admission at the time Sawyer was admitted to First Consultant Hospital in Lagos.
“This brings to five the total number of patients diagnosed with Ebola Virus Disease who have now been discharged from hospital”, the minister said.

The minister made the revelation in Abuja, just as Commissioner for Health in Lagos, Dr. Jide Idris confirmed that an infected doctor was also discharged from hospital on Saturday.

“We have 12 confirmed cases and that includes the index and all the others cases that we have confirmed positive and those who have died”, the commissioner said, adding that as at yesterday, there were three additional cases.

“As at yesterday have three new suspected cases. And one of them is a blood sample from Kaduna State while the two others are from Lagos and they are primary contact. The reason for this was that they do not have the laboratory to test for the virus.

“What we have now is that, there are four people dead, including the index (Mr. Patrick Sawyer). We have eight in the isolation ward before the Saturday when we released the doctor. And this doctor was released after testing negative and going through the WHO and CDC procedures for discharge”, he said.

He said that the test result for all those discharged proved negative of the virus adding that they will be discharged once a counselling session organized for them is completed.

He explained that that with five patients so far discharged, only three patients are now been monitored at the isolation centre. “Once they get better, they will be released”, he said. She said the lady who ran to Enugu is still under isolation adding that she has tested positive to the virus.

“There is no specific treatment for Ebola Virus Disease, EVD. We treat the patients based on the presentation. For instance, if the patients show symptoms of diarrhoea, he or she has to be treated with electrolyte and others. If the person shows signs of pains, he will be given drugs on pains. We have enough drugs to take care of them. If they require intensive care, we will do that. This is part of the equipment that has been brought in”, he said.

He explained that more medical personnel have volunteered to care for the patients.

“We have 8 doctors and 9 nurses and some health workers who have gone through the training. We have also been joined by an infectious disease experts from Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. All these people have gone through the training. Though the number is not enough; we need more”, he said.