Nigeria confirms new cases of Ebola virus

The Nigerian government has confirmed two new cases of Ebola Virus Disease, bringing the total number of cases recorded in the country to 14.

Minister of Health Onyebuchi Chukwu told a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city, that the two cases were the spouses of the two deceased primary contacts of the Liberian-American.

The minister said they were among the secondary contacts that had been under surveillance.

He said the new cases had now brought the number of Ebola virus disease patients currently under treatment at the isolation ward to four.

The number of deaths still remains five, the minister said, while the number of those successfully managed and discharged also stands at five.

Chukwu added that 213 people were presently under surveillance, saying that there would continue to be contact tracing in order to curtail the spread of the virus.

Nigeria and other partners would continue to maintain vigilance and strengthen the containment activities, he added.

Chukwu reassured Nigerians and the global community that efforts would not relent to curtail Ebola virus disease in Nigeria.

He expressed gratitude to Nigerians, who had made contributory efforts to the fight against the virus, assuring them that the ministry would not disappoint the nation.

The minister, who spoke on the treatment administered on discharged patients, said the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline was applied in treating the discharged patients.

According to the WHO guideline, severely ill patients require intensive supportive care; patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.

The WHO said between Aug. 14 and Aug. 16 a total of 113 new cases of Ebola virus disease as well as 84 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.

Earlier this month, Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan declared a national emergency, saying a sum of 1.9 billion naira (11.6 million U.S. dollars) would be released to prevent further spread of the epidemic.

Ebola spreads through body fluids and has killed over 1,300 people in West African countries.