EBOLA: Minibus carrying contaminated blood samples is robbed in Guinea

Ignorance they say is bliss, but sometimes it's just mere annoying stupidity. The world is battling a virus outbreak and some fools a.k.a Armed bandits in Guinea have stolen a batch of blood samples infected with the deadly Ebola virus which were being delivered to a test centre.

The robbers held up a minibus not far away from the town of Kissidougou which was transporting the samples from central Kankan prefecture to the test site 165 miles away in southern Gueckedou.

The blood was stored in a sealed container and was being escorted by four Red Cross officials. It is believed the bandits had no idea what it was they were stealing and may have thought there was cash hidden inside the container.

 Guinea Red Cross press officer Faya Etienne Tolno explained that the Guinea Red Cross did not have its own vehicles for transport, which explains why a taxi was commissioned.

'We don't understand why they stole the blood sample. Perhaps they thought there was cash hidden in the flask,' Tolno said.

Dr. Barry Moumie, who heads patient care for the national Ebola response coordination committee, told The Associated Press: 'We have informed the security services. If these thieves handle this blood, it will be dangerous.'

'I can assure you, however, that the sample-transportation procedures will now be strengthened to avoid such disappointments,' he said. 

 Well it better be handled because I don't understand why a public means of transportation will be even considered in conveying a bio-hazard sample. 

MTN invites customers to join fight against Ebola epidemic

MTN Group today invited its over 219 million customers across Africa and the Middle East to join hands with the company in a 3-month campaign, starting 1 December, to raise funds for a “United Against Ebola” initiative. 

In response an appeal from the African Union (AU), MTN and other leading companies in Africa committed logistical support and in kind contributions as part of the first wave of pledges at a recent Africa Business Roundtable hosted by the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The companies also agreed to leverage their resources and capacity to help galvanise citizen action around a “United Against Ebola” campaign, and to provide individuals across Africa and globally with an opportunity to contribute.

As part of its pledge, MTN has committed US$10 million and is now inviting customers to participate in an SMS campaign to donate a minimum of US$1. MTN is also working with some of Africa’s most celebrated musicians to produce an inspirational song for digital download on its MTN Play store. All proceeds from sales, post publishing rights and subscription payments, will be donated to the AU campaign.

MTN has been an integral part of efforts to tackle the spread of Ebola in countries where the company operates, with special emphasis on Guinea-Conakry and Liberia.

“MTN is supporting this campaign to give further impetus to concerted efforts aimed at combating the Ebola epidemic and saving lives. As MTN, we believe the only way to start reversing the devastating effects of the outbreak is to come together to tackle the spread of the disease, and ease the suffering it continues to inflict on families and communities,” says Sifiso Dabengwa, MTN Group President and CEO.

In affected countries where MTN operates such as Guinea Conakry and Liberia, MTN is working closely with authorities to curb the spread of the disease. MTN has set up a number of interventions to assist staff, their families and communities.

Some of the measures include distributing information about the disease, its transmission and preventative measures. Working with International SOS, MTN has set up a website where staff can access up-to-date information on the disease and its management. As part of this partnership, a medical response team has been set up to offer advice and referral to medical care, if required.

In Liberia, for example, MTN has implemented a robust business continuity programme to, among other things, keep the network operational. Health measures taken include enhanced cleaning of office premises, with particular focus on bathrooms and toilets. MTN is also issuing personal protective equipment and clothing to employees who are either field or frontline staff, such as those in stores and service centres.

Other measures include the sanitisation of vehicles and establishment of a work from home solution for staff whose jobs permit. MTN has also advanced salaries to employees, so that they can stock up on supplies. MTN has also established an SMS short code to facilitate enhanced internal communication with personnel.

MTN Liberia staff also has access to two dedicated medical doctors and medical facilities. And in line with an intervention aimed at helping local communities, MTN has established a crisis call centre with authorities on the ground, as part of a collaborative response with the Liberian government to help minimise the impact of the disease.

 

  About the MTN Group 

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 30 September 2014, MTN recorded 219,2 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. Visit us at, www.mtnbusiness.com, www.mtn.com and www.mtnmmo.com

Ebola Virus - Expect Millions vaccine doses by end of 2015 - WHO

With the Ebola Virus taking more lives, the WHO has revealed vaccines will be available in 2015.

According to Reuters, two leading vaccine candidates are in human clinical trials, and said another five experimental vaccines were also being developed and would begin clinical trials next year. 

WHO’s Marie-Paule Kieny told reporters after a meeting in Geneva.

“Before the end of the first half of 2015 ... we could have available a few hundred thousand doses. That could be 200,000, it could be less or could be more,” 

Researchers are testing two candidate vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline and NewLink Genetics.
“At least 5 vaccines are following closely and will be in the clinic in the first months of 2015,”

See Photo of the Heroic Doctors of "First Consultant Hospital who helped contain Ebola in Nigeria

To us Nigerians these are our super heroes , they took responsibility of the safety of the nation in their hands literally. Like in most battles, there were those that didn't make it out alive. They will for ever be remembered. Here are the faces of the team at the First Consultant Hospital, Lagos whose immediate action helped contain the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in Lagos.

Pictured above: The Chief Medical Director of the hospital Dr Benjamin Ohiaeri (middle) Dr Adaora Igonoh (2nd left), Dr Ibeawuchi Morris (3rd left) Dr Fadipe Akinniyi (2nd right) who got infected but got healed. 

Unfortunately four of their colleagues including Dr Stella Adadevoh and nurse Justina Ejelonu died from the deadly viral disease. 
They are being recognized by the World Health Organisation (WHO)

Ebola Scare - Checkout this US Passenger's Outfit lol

This passenger was spotted dressed like this while waiting for a flight at Washington D.C Airport . Better safe than sorry yea .. Lol.

WHO officially declares Nigeria Ebola-free country

The World Health Organization, WHO, and the Federal Ministry of Health held a joint press conference in Abuja to formally declare Nigeria Ebola Virus Disease free. Yay! Our love and prayers go out to other nations still battling Ebola. God be with you.

Dan Nwomeh is the Special Assistant to the outgoing Minister of Health...

US tracking 132 air passengers who traveled on same flight with 2nd Ebola patient

The Ebola virus might just be on the loose in the US , scary! The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention is presently making efforts to track down 132 air passengers who flew from Cleveland to Dallas on Monday October 13th after they found out that the second Ebola patient from the Texas Presbyterian Hospital flew on the same flight that day. The unidentified healthcare worker didn't show any sign of having the virus until late yesterday. So everyone she's had close contact with has been exposed. Dang! #SocialControlmethodGoneWrong .

Footballer Michael Essien denies reports that he contracted Ebola

There were rumours earlier today, started by perverse individuals, that international/Ghanaian football star Michael Essien had contracted the deadly Ebola virus causing hundreds of his fans to storm his social media pages begging for answers. He took to instagram to share a pic of himself and deny the report.And like he said , Ebola is a very serious issue , people should not be joking about it or publishing unconfirmed rumours .

Is it Possible for terrorists to turn themselves into Ebola suicide 'bombs'?

The idea is scary, horrific, terrible etc. Can you imagine "Ebola suicide killers/ "bombers" ??!

According to a military specialist, there are speculations terrorist group ISIS may be considering using Ebola as a suicide bio-weapon against the West.

Since the virus is transmitted by direct contact with an infected person who is staging the symptoms, it wouldn't be long before the extremists contract it then travel to their target countries

Capt. Al Shimkus, Ret., a Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, said that the strategy is entirely plausible.

He told Forbes: 

'The individual exposed to the Ebola Virus would be the carrier. In the context of terrorist activity, it doesn't take much sophistication to go to that next step to use a human being as a carrier.'

And Professor Anthony Glees, Director at Buckingham University's Center for Security and Intelligence Studies, agrees that the strategy might be considered.

God help us all .

EBOLA - Specialist are saying there's possibilities of the Virus spreading through air and not Just contact with Bodily Fluids

This Ebola Virus has become a magnanimous world threat , as the death toll from Ebola reaches 3,800, specialist are warning that the virus could mutate and become airborne, that is to say it could be caught by breathing it in. Although health officials tell us that the Virus that causes Ebola cannot be transmitted through air and can only be spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of an infected person who is developing symptoms.

But now on the contrary several paramount Ebola researchers claim that the possibilities of  the virus mutating becoming airborne shouldn't be ruled out.

 Virus expert Charles L. Bailey, who in 1989 helped the American government tackle an outbreak of Ebola among rhesus monkeys being used for research, told the LA Times: 'We know for a fact that the virus occurs in sputum and no one has ever done a study [disproving that] coughing or sneezing is a viable means of transmitting.

Walking dead? Two Ebola victims 'rise from the dead' in Liberian Village

WOW! I knew this Ebola Virus is what you call Viral Evolution , it is a subfield of evolutionary biology and virology that is specifically concerned with the evolution of viruses. basically meaning it mutates . There's currently panic, fear and confusion in two villages in Nimba County in Liberia after reports that two female Ebola victims have risen from the dead.

According to local reports, 44 year old Dorris Quoi who lived in Hope Village Community and a 67 year old woman identified as Ma Kebeh, died of the Ebola virus and were about to be taken for burial when they resurrected and are now walking among the living.

According to reports in a local newspaper, New Dawn, Ma Kebeh had been indoors for two nights without food and medication before her death, while Dorris had suffered for several weeks before she died alone in her family home. This is the first report of dead Ebola victims resurrecting. Despite some people's reservations about the story being true, it hasn't stopped them from panicking

Maybe zombie invasion ... ?!

Nigeria is now Ebola free, contacts under surveillance- Health minister

Nigeria is officially an Ebola free country. WHO already declared Nigeria an Ebola free country and now the health minister says all suspected cases of the disease that were under surveillance in Port Harcourt have been discharged after completing the minimum 21 days of observation.

Port Harcourt records 2nd Ebola death - Health Minister

The Nigerian Ministry of Health has announced the death of another Ebola patient in Port Harcourt. The victim is said to be an elderly woman who contracted the deadly virus while on admission in the same hospital where late Dr Enemoah died. The Minister's spokesman, Dan Nwomeh announced this via his twitter account . Read more of his tweets below ..

Ebola - Abandoned Female hit & run victim dies in Bayelsa

Authorities of the two Ebola isolation centres in Bayelsa State, dismissed as “dangerous rumour,” claims that four deaths had been recorded in the state from the dreaded Ebola virus, noting that an abandoned corpse in the state capital was a hit and run victim.

The death of the middle-aged woman at the Federal Medical Centre was blamed by some on negligence on the part of the medical personnel at the casualty ward of the hospital, who allegedly refused to administer treatment on her following a hit and run incident.
Vanguard reports that,a staff of the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that the refusal of the doctors on duty to treat the victim over fear of Ebola led to the death of the victim yesterday at 11a.m.

“The victim was brought into the casualty ward by two good Samaritans. She was reported to have been hit by a hit and run driver on the Sanni Abacha way in Yenagoa. Instead of treating the bruises and cuts on her body, the doctors refused, claiming it may be Ebola.
“The woman was brought into the casualty ward at 2p.m., on Monday. She was abandoned and died at 11a.m., on Tuesday.
“Even when the mortuary attendants were asked to take the body to the morgue, they refused. They, however, took the body after the intervention of a senior staff. It is a shame,”

However, the Public Relations Officer of the FMC, Mr Bernard Akpedi, said:

“The  deceased was an accident victim brought to  the hospital by good Samaritans. The patient was being managed  by the  hospital  before her death.”

Health minister confirms Ebola death, two other cases in Port Harcourt

On Tuesday August 26th, Nigeria's Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said there was only case of Ebola in Nigeria, now he's confirmed that a doctor indeed died in Port Harcourt from Ebola. His name is Ikye Enemoah.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja today, the Minister said the doctor died on Friday Aug. 22nd after treating a diplomat who had direct contact with Patrick Sawyer, the first case of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria. He said laboratory analysis on his corpse showed he died from Ebola.

"Following the report of his death by the doctor's widow the next day, the case had been thoroughly investigated and laboratory analysis showed that this doctor died from EVD (Ebola Virus Disease" the Minister told reporters in Abuja

He also confirmed to reporters that two people in Port Harcourt have contracted the Ebola disease, the doctor's wife and the diplomat he treated. The wife has been quarantined and the diplomat under surveillance. So apparently it hasn't been completely contained .

Ebola: Nigerian female doctor,Stella Adadevoh dies

Dr Ameyo Stella Adadevoh who was the first Nigerian to test positive to the ebola virus has died. The senior doctor at the First Consultants Hospital was the first to treat Patrick Sawyer.She actually prevented him from leaving the hospital despite orders from above to let him proceed to Calabar.

She passed on this afternoon at an isolation centre where she was quarantined with other health workers from the same hospital.

Just a few days ago, her colleagues and family cried out for help,begging the US to send the experimental drug to save her life..The drug never came.

She left behind a son and husband.May her soul rest in peace . Amen

First Ebola Patient discharged in Lagos

Hope at last!! The first Ebola patient to be confrimed positive has been discharged in Lagos.
The Minster of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed this saying the patient ,a female now tested negative.

Though he  did not reveal her name,the first to be tested was Doctor Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, a consultant and Endocrinologist at First Consultant Hospital,Lagos.She was the first person to be diagnosed shortly after Sawyer's death..

He said .......

The EOC has advised me to announce that the first ‎Nigerian to be confirmed to have Ebola Virus Disease has this evening been discharged from the isolation unit at the Mainland Hospital, Lagos.

“I have consulted with the experts, and they said clearly that there was a discharge protocol that was employed for this particular patient. It has been followed strictly and was concluded today‎ and what you are getting now is the final outcome.“Ordinarily, if she had been afflicted with another illness, she would have been discharged long before now”.“The total number of confirmed cases of EVD in the country was now 12, with four deaths and 189 under surveillance in Lagos and six in Enugu,” “As you are aware, the patients under treatment have now been moved to the new 40-bed capacity isolation ward provided by Lagos State government. Additional equipment has also been made available to the new isolation ward by the Federal Government”.

  He also said Nanosilver (the drug which was to be used on Ebola Patients)failed to pass the ethical test, will not be used.

“You will recall that, last Thursday, I announced that we were ready to deploy an experimental drug, Nano Silver; it was not cleared by the National Health Research Ethics Committee.
“Although the drug has since been made available to the EOC in Lagos, it has not been administered on any patient because we were awaiting clearance by ‎the National Health Research Ethics Committee.
“I regret to inform you that the drug did not meet the requirements of the National Health Research Ethics Code. Accordingly, approval for its use was withheld by the National Health Research Ethics Committee.”

Patrick Sawyer was sent by powerful people to spread Ebola to Nigeria-Fani Kayode

Fani Kayode has reacted to the calamity resulting from late Patrick Sawyer's visit to Nigeria. Last week, president.Jonathan referred to him as a crazy man. This is what Mr Kayode wrote on Facebook

I disagree with those who have described Patrick Sawyer as a madman. He was not mad at all but just evil. He was a man that was on a mission. That mission was to spread the ebola virus to Nigeria and to infect and kill as many people as possible with it.He was an evil man with an evil intention and purpose. Worst still he was not working alone. Some people, and I mean rich, powerful and well-connected people, were working with him.(continue)....
As a matter of fact they sent him on the mission.They cultivated him, took care of him, paid him, brainwashed him, gave him all that he wanted in life and finally asked him to go on a suicide mission to destroy the lives of others and spread the deadly disease.This was a clear case of bio-terrorism and Sawyer was simply a pawn in a bigger game and a wider picture. The motive of those who sent him was to spread fear and panic, to kill as many people as possible, to create a need for a solution to the problem, to prepare the ground for a new wonder drug that could cure ebola, to create a massive market for that drug and to ensure that there would be massive profits from it’s sale.As usual it is the unbelieving, unprepared, undiscerning and naive Africans that have been used as the prime guinea pigs. When will they stop destroying us and treating us with such contempt? When will they begin to see and treat us as human beings?

Do you agree with him?

Aliko Dangote donates N150million to fight Ebola in Nigeria

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote has donated N150million to help in the fight of the spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Foundation, Mrs Adhiambo Odaga announced this at a media briefing at the Ministry of Health, Abuja on Monday. She said the money will be available for the establishment of an Ebola emergency operation centre in Lagos.

“After bilateral discussion with the honorable minister and his team, Dangote foundation has funded the establishment of the Ebola emergency operation in Lagos, that is being done through grant from the foundation of just a little over N150 million,” she said. Continue...

"The strategy that our chairman is deploying is the strategy to respond and to commend government for the effort, and to show that all Nigerians are concerned. We will continue to discuss with the ministry about what additional support can be offered.

“And we also have been approached by several parties who are interested in partnering with the government, and we would continue that discussion.”

Odaga relayed Dangote’s call to all Nigerians to join the federal government in the fight against Ebola, expressing optimism that the disease would be contained.
“The choice of the emergency operation centre as an investment for Dangote Foundation is based on the fact that is the critical platform through which the government is coordinating all that is happening to ensure that the crisis is contained,” she added.

Bitter Kola and Ebola: What Nigerians must know - Health Minister

Talking about Dr. Maurice Iwu’s thesis regarding bitter kola and Ebola (Iwu said Kolanut could cure Ebola - based on research), Nigerian Health Minister Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the government is considering making laws to arrest people who make bogus claims to have a cure for Ebola, and said Nigeria needs to work with Dr. Iwu. The Minister said told Vanguard;

Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu

"One of the things we decided to focus on by setting up that committee is to streamline claims of possible scientific cure, not a situation where pastors and imams claim  they can cure Ebola.   We might even go to the extent of making laws to arrest people with such bogus claims. We would take every suggestion seriously. About Professor Iwu, we know that quite a number of Nigerians accessed his article through the internet. Continue

What Professor Iwu and his research team proved in America is that in the laboratory test-tube – not in an animal or a human being –  bitter kola extract was able to hinder the growth of Ebola virus, that it was able to slow it down or kill it. That research was not concluded according to Professor Iwu himself and he says he is disappointed that the research was not taken to its logical conclusion.

We need now to work with him and that is why we need him.   He is a distinguished world renowned professor of pharmacognosy; and he is someone we value in this country because of his professionalism and working with others; we would be able to put all ideas to the test and see how far we go. This is a serious business.