The death toll increased between August 14 and 16, as 113 new cases were reported, raising the total number of cases this year to 2,240, the world health body said.
The information came from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone — the four West African countries hit by the deadly virus.
The WHO on Monday called on the affected countries to carry out exit screenings of travellers at international airports, seaports and major land crossings.
But it said it doesn’t currently recommend travel restrictions and active screening of passengers on arrival in countries that don’t have borders with the affected countries.
Meanwhile, Anambra State Government has procured 40 protective personal equipment and placed orders for 100 more as part of pro-active measures against the killer Ebola virus disease (EVD).
The government has also opened three isolation centres in the three senatorial districts of the state.
In addition, the state has held a series of workshops and training in preparedness for state rapid response team in Awka, one of which was held on Monday.
State Commissioner for Health, Joe Akabuike, told a workshop that advocacy and enlightenment are key in containing the spread of the disease. According to him, the state has also procured five ambulance vehicles for Ebola cases.
Akabuike said the state is at alert because, apart from the fact that Igbo are known travellers, Anambra State being the gate way to the East is always on edge when a disease of epidemic proportion breaks out.
This is why, he explained, the government refused burial of an accident victim brought back from Liberia until proper investigation was carried out.
Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano on Primary Health Care, Chioma Ezenyimulu, said the training of Monday was to equip the State-Rapid-Response-Team and other health workers on better ways of responding to Ebola virus disease.
Ezenyimulu enjoined the participants to educate the masses on the modes of transmitting the virus to avoid misleading rumours associated with the outbreak.
State Director of Primary Health Care and Disease Control, Cukwudi Okoye, said the Ministry of Health has risen to the challenge of Ebola disease.
He commended different religious organisations, community and market leaders for playing key roles in the fight against Ebola.
Also, parents in Edo State have been admonished to teach their children the act of constant hand washing with soap and water as a prevention measure against the EVD.
The advice is coming on the heels of the on-going campaign by the Federal Ministry of Health, including text messages urging Nigerians to dial certain designated phone numbers for help.
At a lecture during the formal installation of the 9th President of Rotary Club of Auchi Metropolitan, entitled, ‘Ebola Virus: Facts and Falacies’, a Rotarian, Abdulazeez Elamah, reiterated that the virus is capable of being transmitted by infested person, either dead or alive, and stressed the need for regular hand washing with other agents as alcohol based sanitizer.
In a similar development, Benue State Government may have banned unauthorised inter-state transportation of corpses into the state for the time being.
According to the state government, authorisation for the transportation of corpses must be obtained from the Federal Ministry of Health, adding that families in the state who have such intentions must also have to write through the state Ministry of Health which will forward such letters to the federal ministry.
Benue State Commissioner for Health, Orduen Arbukun, gave the warning during an enlightenment programme on Ebola held with principal officers of local government in the state.
President Goodluck Jonathan also on Tuesday hailed the humanitarian efforts of medical personnel who have treated the EVD victims in Nigeria, thus helping to contain the spread of the ailment.
He gave the commendation at the State House, Abuja, during this year’s commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day under the theme, ‘More People than Ever Before Need our Help’.
It was organised by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
“I want to use this occasion to salute the courage of these medical personnel and condole with the families of those that lost their lives.
“Government is doing everything possible to ensure that those still alive get the best medical attention while praying to God to save their lives,” said Jonathan who was represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo.
The President also lamented the usually unprovoked violent attacks on humanitarian service providers while carrying out their duties of saving lives.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) also on Tuesday announced that it has put in place measure to curtail the spread of the Ebola virus during its Annual General Conference (AGC) in Owerri, Imo State.
There have been concerns that the conference, which is a gathering of over 10,000 lawyers, could be a ground for the spread of the Ebola virus.
In a pre-conference briefing in Abuja, President of NBA, Okey Wali, assured that the conference, which holds from August 24 to 29, is safe for all participants.
He said the association has bought hand bacterial and viral sanitisers for each participants, latex gloves and masks for service providers such as registration and traffic officials, non-contact hand sanitisers with refills in select places, and Dettol anti-bacterial hand wash for the mobile toilets.
He said the NBA has received assurances from Governor Rochas Okorocha, the state Commissioner for Health, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Ministry of Aviation on additional measures put in place to ensure the disease does not get to Imo.
“We urge our members to maintain higher standard of personal hygiene, and to avoid shaking hands and physical body contacts”, he said.
Another report from Abeokuta on Tuesday said four travellers coming into the country from Guinea through an illegal border area at Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State have been detained and being monitored by the state government in its efforts to curb the spread of the Ebola virus.
Commissioner for Health, Olaokun Soyinka, who disclosed this at a press conference in his office, said response teams have set up at the local government area levels who serve as surveillance teams.
While reassuring that Ogun State is free of the virus, Soyinka stated that in addition to the further training of the healthcare workers, there is a refresher information and further sensitisation at the border areas.
According to him, the state currently has three quarantine and isolation centres each in the three senatorial districts of the state, urging the public to cooperate fully with the efforts of the state government in the interest of their health.
He reiterated that the virus can only be contacted through body fluids of an infected person not by just sitting with the person, advising the public to maintain personal hygiene with regular hand washing and use of sanitisers.
The commissioner further advised that unnecessary physicalcontact at public gatherings should be avoided, saying, “do not travel to areas where the epidermic is active, avoid hunting and eating bush meat. If you suspect Ebola, contact the health authorities immediately.”
He said the state government is compiling a list of volunteers who can be called upon for a variety of task to escalate activities.
Culled from Daily Indepemdent
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