No Ebola in Niger, state on high alert — Health Director
By Clare Nnabuike, Minna
The Niger State Government has assured residents that no Ebola case has been detected in the state, saying it has activated emergency response measures to prevent a possible outbreak.
The Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Ibrahim Idris, gave the assurance on Wednesday during a telephone conversation with our correspondent.
Idris said the state was on high alert because of its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where a Ugandan woman was reportedly arrested over suspected exposure to Ebola.
He urged residents to remain calm, continue their normal activities and observe necessary health precautions.
The director said no person identified as a contact of the suspected case had entered Niger State, adding that the government was taking preventive measures to keep the disease out.
Although Niger shares a boundary with the FCT, Idris said the state had not recorded any Ebola case and was strengthening its preparedness because of the severity of the disease.
“Niger State has no Ebola outbreak, and the citizens should stay calm. We have already activated the emergency operation, and we will ensure that there is no outbreak of Ebola in the state,” he said.
Idris said the state was monitoring the situation and taking steps to prevent people identified as contacts of the woman from introducing the disease into the state.
“The state is doing everything to ensure that the 44 contacts said to have met the Ugandan woman do not enter Niger State. We have already activated our emergency operation. We will not give the disease any chances,” he said.
He disclosed that the state held a high-level health meeting on Wednesday to assess its response measures, with particular attention to the reported Ebola concern in the FCT.
The director urged residents to observe basic hygiene measures, including regular handwashing, and follow relevant public health advice.
He also disclosed that the state was nearing completion of an isolation centre as part of measures to strengthen its preparedness for any suspected case.
“As I am talking to you, we have almost completed our isolation centre, and we are putting other measures in place. We don’t want to leave anything to chance,” Idris said.
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