A patient suspected to have been
infected with the deadly Ebola virus has died at the Asokoro Hospital Abuja.
The suspected patient, who exhibited symptoms similar to those of persons infected with the virus died at the hospital last Friday. Following the death of the patient, the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital where the patient was being treated has been cordoned off and the accident and emergency unit has been temporarily relocated to the General outpatient unit (GOPD). Similarly, a list of all medical staff who had come in contact with the patient has been compiled and they are all under surveillance.
According to a statement by the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, on
Thursday August 28, 2014 when the symptoms were observed, blood samples of the
patient were taken for examination at the designated FCT Ebola testing
laboratory which happens to be within the Hospital premises and the
epidemiology unit of the Public Health Department of the secretariat was
notified and the unit had responded. The suspected patient, who exhibited symptoms similar to those of persons infected with the virus died at the hospital last Friday. Following the death of the patient, the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital where the patient was being treated has been cordoned off and the accident and emergency unit has been temporarily relocated to the General outpatient unit (GOPD). Similarly, a list of all medical staff who had come in contact with the patient has been compiled and they are all under surveillance.
The statement signed by the secretariat’s head of public relations, Badaru Yakassai, explained that the results of the Ebola test were being expected from the laboratory four days later (yesterday), before the patient died.
“The Family Medicine unit of Asokoro
District Hospital suspected Ebola disease in a patient on admission at the
Accident and Emergency unit on the 28th of August 2014 and immediately isolated
the patient. Strict infection control measures were immediately
instituted. Blood sample was then taken to the designated FCT Ebola testing
laboratory which happens to be within the hospital premises. The epidemiology
unit of Public Health Department of the Health and Human Services Secretariat
was notified and their response was immediate. The results of the Ebola test
was being expected from the laboratory four days later, on Monday the 1st of
September 2014.
The case also served as a drill case to test the
preparedness of the hospital to manage and contain the Ebola disease. Clinical
assessment however did not reveal any history of contact or travel. However in
view of the high index of suspicion, isolation and strict infection control
measures were continued and the unit was condoned off. Unfortunately, the
patient died the next day, Friday 29th August 2014. The accident and emergency
unit was temporarily relocated to the General Outpatient Unit (GOPD). A list of
all medical staff who had come into contact with the patient has been compiled
and they are all under surveillance,” Yakassai explained in the statement.
The secretariat however advised
residents of the territory not to panic as a case of Ebola has not been
confirmed at the hospital, adding that the measures that have been put in place
are only precautionary in the interest of public safety.
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