Akwa Ibom State government has described as false, information making the rounds on the internet that cases of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease have been found in the State.
The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, in a joint statement with his Health counterpart, Dr. Ememabasi Bassey, said so far, no case of Ebola has been established in the State.
According to the statement, the rumoured Ebola case at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital was unfounded, as “the medical authorities confirmed it to be case of allergies. In the case of the dead body brought in from Port Harcourt, it was confirmed that the deceased died of renal failure was buried in his community.”
The statement indicated that the lady alleged to have had contact with the Ebola case in Port Harcourt, was traced to Aba and not Akwa Ibom. The said lady, has however, “been certified free of the Ebola virus.”
Calling for universal action against the virus from both medical workers and citizens, the commissioners, in the statement, mentioned that the state government has formed a task force to prevent the disease from gaining entry into the state and is also involved in inter-state collaboration against the disease..
The Information said “the state government has so far acquired hand held infra red screening machines and no passenger passes through Akwa Ibom airport without been screened,” stating that “more machines have been acquired for distribution to strategic places, in order to ensure adequate coverage of the Ebola screening exercise in the State.”
Mr. Umanah, while enjoining citizens to discountenance the rumour on Ebola, said government has stepped-up enlightenment prorgrammes on radio, televison and handbills, with a view to ensuring that citizens take adequate precaution against the deadly virus.
Idris Mabadeje
Information Officer
