Ebola scare again, doctor, 9 nurses, 5 others quarantined in Cross River

Following a suspected case of Ebola Virus disease in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), the management of the hospital, on Thursday, said it had quarantined 15 persons of the accident and emergency ward of the hospital.

Among those said to have been quarantined were a medical doctor, nine nurses and four medical workers. The decision of the management to quarantine them came on the heels of the death of a patient on Wednesday suspected to have the symptoms of Ebola.

The patient, whose identity could not be ascertained, was said to have shown symptoms likened to that of an EVD patient before he died.

But in a press statement made available to newsmen in Calabar, Cross River State, the UCTH authorities said the patient might have died of haemorrhagic fever.

Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council, Dr. Queeneth Kalu, said the blood sample of the patient had been sent for testing, while identified contacts numbering about 15 had been quarantined.

“On Wednesday, October 7, 2015, we managed a patient who presented with symptoms resembling viral haemorrhagic fever. Due to the remote chance of it being contagious, we have sent the blood samples for testing and quarantined identified contacts. Further information will be made available as soon as we receive the results of the samples for analysis.

“The National Centre for Disease Control, Federal Ministry of Health, Cross River State government and the Department of State Services had been informed of the development.”

Speaking, Dr. Sunday Omini, the Director of Public Health, Cross River State, said he doubted if the symptoms are that of Ebola, adding that it could be that of Dengue fever or Lassa fever. Dr Omini said, however, that the Cross River State government is on top of the situation, calling for calm among members of the public.

Ebola scare again, doctor, 9 nurses, 5 others quarantined in Cross River