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Nigeria confirms new Ebola case in Lagos State
Abuja, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A new case of Ebola infection has been reported in southwestern Nigeria's state of Lagos, an official confirmed on Monday, summing the total number of the infection to 10 in Africa's most populous country.
Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu said the latest case, a nurse who had primary contact with Patrick Sawyer the index case, has been in isolation since the infection.
"We just tested her over the weekend. So, between Friday and today, we had one additional case. That brings it to 10 and the 10 includes the index case," Chukwu told a news conference in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
The nurse was being treated and her husband was under surveillance, according to the Nigerian official.
Last Wednesday, the Nigerian health ministry confirmed that another nurse who treated the index case died after contacting the virus.
Patrick Sawyer, who was tested positive for the Ebola virus upon arrival by plane from Liberia, died in a Lagos hospital on July 25.
The state government had stepped up its effort to trace all those that came in contact with the Liberian, said Jide Idris, commissioner for health in Lagos.
Last Friday, Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan declared a national emergency, saying a sum of 1.9 billion naira (11.6 million U.S. dollars) will be released to prevent further spread of the Ebola Virus.
Ebola, which has killed over 900 people in West African countries, spreads through mucous and other body fluid or secretions such as stool, urine, saliva and semen of infected people. It is believed to be very difficult to control.
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