By peter Uzoma
Even as there has been no reported case of the dreaded Ebola Disease in Imo State, there is a growing concern about the spread into the state following reported monitoring of suspects who had contacts with a carrier in neighbouring Enugu State, one of the South East states of Nigeria.
Despite the divine statements of Governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha during a brief state broadcast that Ebola is not Imo State portion and cannot be experienced in Imo as the good spirit of the God of the state defaulted the plot of those who planted bombs at Winner’s Church Owerri, anxiety is growing rapidly among residents of the state on the Ebola casethat has touched Enugu state.
Reports monitored indicate that the Ebola scare has hit Enugu state courtesy of the nurse who defied a directive not to leave Lagos. The nurse was part of the team that treated the Ebola importer into Nigeria, the Liberian American Patrick Sawyer who died of the disease after flying into Lagos from Lome.
The nurse who was alleged to have defied instructions, according to Minister of Information, Labaran Maku traveled to Enugu from Lagos and may have extended the virus to about 21 persons in Enugu she came in contact with. The 21 persons have been quarantined and kept under surveillance for health reasons.
Maku told reporters; “21 persons in Enugu are also being watched. This is because one of the nurses that was involved with the treatment of the index case, unfortunately disobeyed medical instructions and somehow traveled to Enugu” adding that “all those who she was in contact with including her husband are under quarantine. The medical team has been able to trace all those who made contact with her!
The Enugu report which is spreading like wild fire in Imo has again raised concern as phone calls and text messages reminiscent of the unsure salt and bitter kola therapy that reigned last week. The border relationship between Enugu and Imo and considering business channels in form of direct transportation contact further heightened curiosity about the Ebola scare in Imo.
While the federal government has urged members of the public to discountenance rumours and unverified reports over the Epidemic, by warning that offenders may be prosecuted, the Ebola-phobia is ravaging the Imo society with people indulging in certain discourteous behaviours like refusal of customary handshake and sharing seats at public places.
It would be recalled that mortuaries in Imo who may have been alarmed about the disease have started applying precautionary measures by rejecting corpses suspected to have come from outside the state for deposit.
Our reporter who has been monitoring developments in some public health places noticed that health workers are also adopting several methods to avoid the disease including charging expensive fees for medical related treatment especially those undergoing laboratory test.
Same applies to churches where sharing of common body handshakes is being remodeled for health and safety reasons.
