EBOLA VIRUS: Goverment Alerts Lagosians

Lagosians got at the weekend a wake-up call on the Ebola virus, which has killed many in some West African countries.

The state government told residents to observe and maintain high standard of personal and environmental hygiene.

Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris urged residents to always wash their hands often with soap and water, avoid close contact with people who are sick and ensure that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly disposed.

The Commissioner, in a statement at the weekend, also advised health workers to be at alert, wear personal protective equipment, observe universal basic precautions when attending to suspected or confirmed cases, and report same to their Local Government Area or Ministry of Health immediately.

Ebola virus disease is caused by a virus which natural reservoir of virus is not completely known. Fruit bats have been considered to be the natural host of the virus.

Idris said: “Ebola Virus Disease is caused by the Ebola virus and outbreaks occur primarily in villages of the Central and West Africa. The virus can be spread through, close contact with the blood, body fluids, organ and tissues of infected animals; direct contact with blood, organ or body secretions of an infected person. The transmission of the virus by other animals like monkey and chimpanzee cannot be ruled out.

“Early symptoms of disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains. Later symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.”

Source: The Nation