Abuja - President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday branded a
Liberian-American a "madman" for bringing Ebola into
Nigeria, as the country announced its 10th confirmed case of
the deadly virus.
Patrick Sawyer died in a Lagos hospital on July 25 in the
country's first case of Ebola, which has claimed the lives of
nearly 1 000 people in West Africa since the start of the year.
The 40-year-old, who was to have attended a meeting of the
regional bloc ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African
States), was taken to hospital after arriving in Lagos on a flight
from Monrovia via the Togolese capital, Lome.
A nurse who treated him died last week, while tests last
weekend confirmed that another had also contracted the
virus. Eight others have also tested positive, the government
said.
"It is unfortunate that one madman brought the Ebola to us
but we have to contain it," Jonathan told faith leaders at a
conference in the capital, Abuja, vowing the government
would do "everything possible" to combat its spread.
Nigeria had until last month been spared from Ebola, which
has spread alarmingly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
But its arrival has sown fear throughout the country. The
authorities in sub-Saharan Africa's largest city have appealed
for volunteers because of a shortage of medical personnel,
exacerbated by a month-long doctors' strike.
A number of measures to tackle the spread of Ebola, which is
passed on through direct contact with an infected person
displaying symptoms, have already been announced.
Jonathan last week declared a national emergency in line with
World Health Organization (WHO) advice to affected countries
to trigger disaster response procedures.
Greater funding has been promised to set up additional
isolation centres, border screenings and contact tracing, while
Nigerians have been told to avoid large gatherings.
'Crazy man'
In his address, Jonathan told faith leaders to help get the
message across and also to pay close attention to traditional
burial ceremonies, given that the Ebola virus is transmissible
from dead bodies.
"We must advise our people not to over-celebrate burial now,"
he said.
Jonathan said that Sawyer contracted Ebola because his sister
died from the infection and he attended her funeral.
"(He) became a suspect. And the country (Liberia) asked him
not to leave the country so that he will be observed but the
crazy man decided to smuggle himself out and now we are
suffering because of it," he added.
Following strict professional health advice was now
paramount, Jonathan said, adding: "If we manage it well we
can get over it in two months and we will return to our normal
lives."
The WHO said on Friday there were 13 probable and suspect
cases of Ebola, including two deaths, in Nigeria.
The global health body is discussing the possible use of an
experimental treatment to try to stem the spread.
Health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu pleaded for the National
Medical Association to call off its strike, with the union split
between those who want to return to work to tackle the crisis
and those intent on staying out.
The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) meanwhile said it had
activated all its volunteers to get across preventative measures
to the public, particularly seeking early medical advice and
treatment.
Secretary-general Bello Hamman Diram said 18 volunteers
were assisting in areas such as contact tracing, health
promotion, case management and public information
schemes.
Some 300 other volunteers will be deployed to help the
federal and Lagos State governments in providing protective
equipment as well as educational and hygiene materials.
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