HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA
ABUJA
***
Advisory regarding Ebola virus disease, August
8th, 2014
The Liberian born US
national Patrick Sawyer who died in Lagos on July 25, 2014 was the first Ebola
casualty in Nigeria and also outside Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia in this
year’s outbreak, in which 1700 people have been infected and over 900 have died
since March. The World Health Organization, after a two day emergency meeting
in Geneva, Switzerland, has declared the spread of Ebola in West Africa an International
Health Emergency.
2. In
Nigeria, there have been 7 confirmed cases of
Ebola as on date including late Sawyer. 6 others are Nigerian
doctors, nurses and airport staff. One nurse died three days ago. There are 70
primary and secondary contacts including 48 passengers who landed in Lagos and
airport & immigration personnel and hospital staff who attended on late
Sawyer are under surveillance.
3. At
a briefing given to the diplomatic corps in Abuja b y the Nigerian Minister for
Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, (i) Nigeria has declared Ebola outbreak a national emergency and is taking steps to
contain its spread, (ii) All State governments are to take proactive measures
including training of medical personnel to mitigate possible complications, (iii)
A centre has been set up in Lagos comprising a six-member inter-agency team
drawn from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the US CDC (Centre for Disease Control), WHO,
UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work on Ebola in Nigeria,
(iii) Authorities emphasize personal
hygiene at homes and outside as an important precautionary measure. (iv) Isolation wards have
been provided in hospitals in all States and Federal Capital Territory. (v) Government has not yet decided to close its borders with
neighboring countries but considers the situation in Nigeria as ‘not yet
critical’, but one of alert. (vi) Ministry of Health has launched a website – www.ebolaalert.org and
a 24&7 toll free number - 0800EBOLAHELP to provide information on Ebola. (vii) Authorities have
conveyed that if advance information can be provided to them of incoming
delegations, special care will be taken of such delegations. -
4. The Mission would advise all Indian
residents in Nigeria and those planning to undertake unavoidable travel to
Nigeria to adhere to the dos and don’ts
circulated by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, government of India
(Annexure). As the disease is not airborne and is transmitted only through
contact with body fluids of the affected, personal hygiene is a critical
preventive measure. For any assistance, following officials of the High
Commission of India in Nigeria may be contacted:
Shri Sharad
Srivastava,
First Secretary (Consular)
Email: cons1.abuja@mea.gov.in,
Tel: 00234-9021396919
Shri V.D.Choudhry, Second Secretary
Email: hoc.lagos@mea.gov.in
, Tel: 00234-8128308752
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