Ebola: PortHarcourt Airport Commences Screening of Passengers As Minister Clarifies Figures

By Chuks Okoh
The Regional General Manager South South/South East Region of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, PortHarcourt International Airport Mrs Ebele Okoye has advised passengers not to panic over the Ebola reports on the airport.
A release from the Deputy General Manager public affairs of the PHIA Mr Ola Ogundaolapo said all necessary arrangements have been put in place following the commencement if the screening of passengers at the airport.
Newsdiaryonline on Sunday reported a statement by Rivers State TUC Chairman,Comrade Chika Onuegbu who raised an alarm over the absence of screening equipment at PortHarcourt Airport.
According to Mr Ogundolapo, Mrs Okoye has been working relentlessly before now with the Rivers State government and Representatives of the World Health Organization WHO to sensitise passengers and the general public on the prevention of the Ebola Virus Disease.
He explained that the Rivers State government has deployed infrared thermometers to screen passengers at the airport adding that there was no need for panic as the situation was being closely monitored by the airport authority.
According to him, the Rivers State government has been of great assistance to the airport with the commissioner for health paying regular visits too the airport.
He appealed to the government for an ambulance, power generating plant, security vehicles for emergency and more infrared thermometers for the isolation centre that Will be set up at the Rivers State abandoned hangar.
Meanwhile ,the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has made clarification in his opening speech at the Emergency National Council on Health Meeting at the Barcelona Hotel, Abuja,on Monday.
According to the minister “total number of confirmed EVD cases in Nigeria ,17 ( including the index case). Total number managed in Lagos, 14; Number successfully managed in Lagos and discharged,7 ; Number of deaths in Lagos 5;Number presently on treatment in isolation in Lagos 2; Number of death in Port Harcourt (did not benefit from standard management) = 1( a doctor who treated a secondary contact of Sawyer’s)
The clarification further put Number of patients under treatment in PH , 1; Number of patient that was ‘treated’ in PH (no stand treatment) and fully recovered , 1;Total number of survivors in Nigeria including those under treatment(as of today) 11; Total number of deaths in Nigeria (as of today) 6.