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Tag: WHO

  • NIGERIA: Lassa fever death toll rises to 142 in 11 weeks

    NIGERIA: Lassa fever death toll rises to 142 in 11 weeks

    The death toll of Lassa fever in Nigeria so far this year has risen to 142, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

    In its eleventh-week Lassa fever situation report, the NCDC said there had been a total of 784 confirmed cases recorded from 23 states and 97 local government areas since the beginning of the year.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that a total of 3,826 suspected cases were recorded from January to March 19, 2023.

    With the current death toll, the public health institution noted that the case-fatality ratio of the outbreak stood at 18.1 percent.

    It added that the predominant age group affected in the country was 21 to 30 years, with the male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases being 10:9.

    According to the World Health Organisation, Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family of viruses. Humans usually become infected with the Lassa virus through exposure to food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. The disease is endemic in the rodent population in parts of West Africa.

    Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.

    The report read in part, in week 11, the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 70 in week 10 2023 to 38 cases. These were reported from Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, Benue, Rivers, Plateau, and Nasarawa States.

    Lassa fever death toll rises to 142 in 11 weeks

    “Cumulatively from week 1 to week 11, 2023, 142 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.1% which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (18.7%).

    In total for 2023, 23 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 97 Local Government Areas.

    “Seventy-one of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi) while 29% were reported from 6 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases. Of the 71% confirmed cases, Ondo reported 32%, Edo 29%, and Bauchi 10%.”

    The report showed that one new Healthcare worker was affected in reporting week 11.

    The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2022

  • Suspected Meningitis outbreak kills 38 in Jigawa

    Suspected Meningitis outbreak kills 38 in Jigawa

    No fewer than 38 persons have died of suspected Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Jigawa, an official, have confirmed.

    Dr Salisu Muazu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, told newsmen in Dutse on Thursday that the state recorded a total of 398 suspected cases  between October 2022 to date.

    Muazu said the disease was detected in 56 political wards across seven local government areas of the state that boarder Niger Republic.

    He said the outbreak was initially from the neighbouring Niger Republic, and later spread to the border communities in the state, through trans border activities.

    The permanent secretary listed the affected areas to include Babura, Maigatari, Suletankarkar, Birniwa, Gumel, Gwiwa and Yankwashi.

    “This is in spite of the fact that last year, we conducted immunisation against this disease across the state.

    “But after getting the report of the outbreak, we took the samples for test in the laboratory, and we discovered it was a strange disease.

    “It is not a normal CSM disease that we commonly know which is the type A, this one, we discovered that it is bacteria, known as type B.

    “And immediately after results were obtained, the state government, through the ministry, swung into action, by offering free treatment, control and prevention measures in the affected areas,” he said

    Muazu further stated that the ministry had established an isolation centre at Gumel General Hospital, to which affected persons are being referred to for treatment and observation.

    He, however, stressed that the situation had been brought under control, as cases are being sporadically recorded.

    “As of now, we record only one to two cases per day. In fact there are some days that passed without recording a single case, as the last was recorded on Saturday,” he said.

    The permanent secretary commended the UNICEF, WHO and NCDC for thier support to the ministry in tackling the outbreak.

  • WHO announces cholera outbreak in 23 countries

    WHO announces cholera outbreak in 23 countries

    The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Friday announced the outbreak of cholera in 23 countries, warning that  20 more countries sharing land borders with the affected countries are at risk.

    Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated this during the bloc’s online media conference.

    Ghebreyesus further said that a total of more than one billion people globally, were at the risk of cholera.

    “Cholera spreads through contaminated water, so clean water is needed urgently wherever there is an acute outbreak, to prevent transmission,” he said.

    According to him, WHO also strongly recommends countries at risk of cholera outbreaks to scale up surveillance so cases can be identified and managed as quickly as possible.

    The WHO boss noted that though there were effective vaccines for cholera, supply however, was very limited.

    According to Ghebreyesus, the International Coordinating Group that manages the global cholera vaccine stockpile in 2022 suspended the standard two-dose regimen, recommending instead a single-dose approach to extend supply.

    He, however, said in the medium-to long-term, it remained important that global vaccine production was increased.

    “In the meantime, we must rely on other measures to stop outbreaks and save lives,” he said.

    According to him, over the past few weeks there have been many reports of mammals, including minks, otters, foxes and sea lions, being infected with H5N1 avian influenza.

    He noted that the H5N1 had spread widely in wild birds and poultry for 25 years, but the recent spillover to mammals needed to be monitored closely.

    Ghebreyesus, however, disclosed that at the moment, WHO had assessed the risk to humans as low.

    He said that since H5N1 first emerged in 1996, they had only seen rare and non-sustained transmission of H5N1 to and between humans.

    “But we cannot assume that will remain the case, and we must prepare for any change in the status quo.

    “As always, people are advised not to touch or collect dead or sick wild animals, but to report to local authorities.

    “WHO is working with national authorities and partners to monitor the situation closely, and to study cases of H5N1 infection in humans when they occur,” he said.

    WHO’s global laboratory network, the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, identifies and monitors strains of circulating influenza viruses, and provides advice to countries on their risk to human health and available treatment or control measures.

    WHO recommends countries strengthen surveillance in settings where humans and farmed or wild animals interact.

    “WHO is also continuing to engage with manufacturers to make sure that if needed, supplies of vaccines and antivirals would be available for global use.

    On the issue of breastfeeding, the WHO helmsman disclosed that a new research had found that less than half of babies born globally, were being breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life.

    Ghebreyesus noted that this was because women lacked support they needed to breastfeed, with more than half a billion working class women globally, lacking adequate maternity protections.

    “Meanwhile, misleading formula milk marketing claims, undermine breastfeeding at every turn.

    “Almost every country has signed the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which restricts marketing of formula milk.

    “However, regulations are largely unenforced,” he said.

    “Ghebreyesus called on governments and policy makers, to promote breastfeeding by ensuring all women had adequate maternity protections.

    He recommended at least six months maternity leave with full pay for nursing mothers, as well as time-off for breastfeeding when they resumed work.

    He also reiterated WHO’s call for governments to end exploitative marketing of artificial milk, and increase health sector support for breastfeeding.

  • WHO has not informed us of any deadly Chinese flu – Minister

    WHO has not informed us of any deadly Chinese flu – Minister

    The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, says though the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other world health bodies had not informed Nigeria of any deadly flu from China, the Federal Government is on the lookout for any occurrence.

    He said this on Monday in Abuja, during a ministerial bi-weekly meeting on the update of COVID-19 response and development in the country’s health sector.

    According to him, when there is an outbreak of any flu or disease anywhere in the world, WHO will announce it to the world and send advisory on how it can be handled, but there is no such alert with the case of the strange flu.

    “So the Ministry of Health finds the message going round in the social media, odd and strange.

    “By default, when there is an outbreak of any flu or disease anywhere we will hear it first from WHO and WHO has not said anything about it, we will also hear from the US Centre for Disease Control (US CDC), but there’s nothing like that also from there and we have not even read anything from the Chinese people.

    “Usually, their embassy will send somebody to come and inform us if there is anything. So I begin to wonder about the authenticity of that paper going around the place because up till today no confirmation of anything like that,” he said.

    The minister also said that foreign media outlets were also silent about a flu from China, an indication that the news making the rounds is a fabrication.

    He, however, said that the Federal Government is on the lookout for anything suspicious.

    “This is a season where people generate stories, throw them into the media and everybody starts panicking, whilst those who generated such stories are laughing at the chaos that they have created.

    “So we are watching the situation, everything we hear we take seriously, but I want to assure you again that any outbreak of such a character, first of all, is announced by WHO, they will then send us advisory and information about it.

    “The US CDC, the equivalent of CDC in the UK, in Europe, they have not said anything. So reports of that nature I also want you to take with a big pinch of salt,” he added.

    There had been trending reports that amid the resurgence of COVID-19 in China, there had been an outbreak of an unknown deadly flu in China, which has led to the death of residents, including three Nigerians.

    According to the reports, though the initial clinical analysis ruled out COVID-19, the symptoms of the fatal flu include dry throat, fever and difficulty in breathing.

    Speaking about Diphtheria, a disease which broke out recently and has spread to four states with 123 confirmed cases and 38 deaths, Ehanire said everyone had a joint responsibility to address diseases.

    He, however, said it was the responsibility of the Federal and State Governments to address particular diseases as they break out and that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health was doing its part.

    “I want to assure you that every disease outbreak everywhere is given full attention by this ministry and nothing is left that is our duty to do that we do not do, but I will also expect all states to carry out their own responsibility.

    “They need to play their role in managing some of the social fallout.

    “Also, every single person who has appeared in our hospitals has received treatment and no one has been turned back because they didn’t have money,” he added.

  • The President we all need (1) – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    The President we all need (1) – By Sonnie Ekwowusi

    We can no longer leave the fate of our country and our lives in the hands of political misfits who don’t have the foggiest idea that political leadership basically entails improving the welfare of the people. Almost everyone you meet these days in Nigeria says it, and, I dare join today in saying it: now is our chance to recover our stolen common wealth from the thieving imbeciles. To this effect, many Nigerian voters across the different divides (the Nigerian young inclusive) have, unlike in the past, irrevocably resolved to vote for a presidential candidate of their choice who will build a new Nigeria, all things being equal, on February 25 2023.

    The current Buhari government is a waterless a cloud, carried along by the winds; a fruitless tree in late autumn, depraved, dead and uprooted; a wild wave of the sea casting up the form of its suffocating smell; a wandering and wicked crescent for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever. For nearly 8 years the Buhari government has brought an unspeakable monumental ruin to Nigeria and Nigerian families. For instance, the incapacity of President Buhari to defend and maintain Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty as well as secure the borders of Nigeria from internal and external violation in consonant with sections 1 (2) and 2(1) of the 1999 Constitution. Mohammadu Buhari, no doubt, has gone down the anal of Nigerian political history, if not the Guinness Book of Record) as the worst political leader in Nigeria. His inability, pursuant to section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, to protect lives and property of the citizenry and to suppress internal insurrection, banditry, secession threats, murder, anarchy, tension, fear, suspicion and disorderliness has enthroned the reign of anarchy. Nobody seems to be in charge of Nigeria at the moment. The Hobbesian bellum omnium contra omnes (war of all against all) characterized by barbaric bloodletting, communal bloody feuds, kidnaps, banditries, gun-running and so forth now reigns supreme in different parts of Nigeria. Uncertainty, confusion, fear and apprehension rule the lives of many in Nigeria. We now live in a free-for-all country where nobody seems to be in charge of anything or anybody. We go to bed and wake up itching to hear the sad news of another bloodletting abduction or kidnapping. In 2017, Nigeria was ranked as the third most-terrorized country in the world. In the same 2017 Nigeria Police was ranked as the worst Police in the world. In the same 2017 Nigeria was ranked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a country with the 3rd highest infant mortality rate in the world. In the same 2017 Northern Nigeria was ranked as the worst region in the world with the highest number of illiterates.

    On July 25 2018 the BBC reported that “Nigeria has the largest number of out-of-school children, totaling 13 million, in the world.” In the 2018 Global Rankings of “Commitment to Reducing Inequality Index” of the OXFAM and Development Finance International (DFI), Nigeria was ranked 157 out of 157 countries. In the same 2018, Nigeria overtook India as the country with the highest number of under-5 deaths in the world. In the same 2018 Nigeria was ranked as one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth to and the 4th country in the world with the worst maternal mortality death rate. In the same 2018 Nigeria was ranked among the worst malaria hit countries in the world. In the same year, 2018, Nigeria was ranked by the World Bank among the seven worst countries on the World Bank Human Capital Index. In the 2018 Global Hunger Index (GHI), Nigeria was ranked as the 103rd hungriest country in the world out of 119 qualifying countries. In the same 2018, Nigeria was ranked among the worst malaria hit countries in the world. In the same 2018 Nigerian was ranked by the World Bank among the seven worst countries on the World Bank Human Capital Index.

    In 2018, the African Development Bank (AfDB) revealed that the World Poverty Clock named Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world. According to Mr. Constant Tchona, a representative of OXFAM in Nigeria: “The number of people that live below extreme poverty as at April 2018 was 91,501,377 thus reaffirming that Nigeria is the poverty capital of the world. As if that was not bad enough, six months later, the number jumped to 94, 470, 533 people meaning that 2,969, 158 Nigerians have been added into Nigeria’s extreme poverty rate. The latest is that the National Bureau Statistics (NBS) has revealed that no fewer than 133 Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the Nigerian population, are currently living in multi-dimensional abject poverty. At the moment the Naira currency is having its worst free fall. For the first time in our political history we have now become a suicidal country. In 2018 Nigeria was ranked as a suicide-prone country. Today Nigeria is ranked the fifth in the world among countries whose citizens are most prone to commit suicide. A bag of rice now sells for N36,000, the salary of many Nigerians.

    What is most nauseating is that, amid these calamities, President Buhari keeps gallivanting from pillar to post beating his chest in the euphoria of triumph and telling those who care to listen to him: “I am not a failure. I am a good man. I will not leave office a failure”. Is this not laughable?. A President who had already failed is giving himself a pass mark and saying that he is not a failure. Anyway, two things, in my view, are deductible from Buhari’s gloating. First: Buhari forgets the time-test aphorism credited to Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio that conscience is an open wound and only truth can heal it. Pricked by the pangs of his conscience, Buhari has been placating his conscience and telling all who care to listen that he is not a failure. He forgets that only truth and justice can heal his wound: Second: Mr. President is not in touch with reality otherwise he cannot be giving himself a pass mark when in actual fact he is a failure. Enslaved by his gratified lusts and sheer fatuity President Buhari has refused to read the mene, mene, tekel, upharsin emblazoned on the walls of Aso Villa Presidential Building, Abuja. He can’t understand that his 8-year stewardship has come to a pathetic and ruinous end. He seems not to understand that about 99% of Nigerians had already judged him a failure and that there is nothing he can do to reverse their judgment against him.

    Consequently, the February 25 presidential election is a golden opportunity to break away from our iniquitous past. To those regretting and sorrowing for committing a mortal sin in 2015 or 2019 by voting for Buhari, I say, February 25 2023 is the day of salvation. It is the acceptable time. Therefore, they should make amends and atone for the sin which they committed in 2015 or 2019 by voting for candour, content, charism, competence and character in 2023. From the outset I knew that Buhari would make a disaster President. So, I did not vote for him in 2015. Neither did I vote for him in 2019. Anyway, old things have passed away. Let us make amendments today that grace may abound. We are the children of the light, not of darkness. Light has nothing in common with darkness. There is no doubt that Buhari has endorsed a stooge to succeed him in 2023 so that the stooge would protect the Fulani oligarchical structures which he (Buhari) had laboured to build in the last seven and half years. Therefore let us resolve to make a complete break with Buharism. Good riddance to Buharism. So, do not vote for a Buhari stooge on February 25 2023. We should be aiming to breathe fresh air in 2023. Don’t tell me it is impossible to break away from our iniquitous past. All things are possible to those who believe. We can break away from the ruinous status quo. The Kenyans did it this year by electing William Ruto, 55, who ran for President for the first time. In fact Ruto fell out with political godfather Uhuru Kenyatta. As a result, Kenyatta backed Mr. Raila Amolo Odinga to succeed him in office. But Ruto came from behind and won the election.

  • WHO renames Monkeypox virus over stigma

    WHO renames Monkeypox virus over stigma

    The World Health Organisation (WHO), has decided to use the name Mpox for a virus previously known as Monkeypox, the body announced in Geneva on Monday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is coming in the wake of reports of racist and stigmatising language surrounding the name of the disease.

    The decision follows a series of consultations with global experts.

    Both terms will be used simultaneously for a year before the monkeypox name is phased out.

    “This serves to mitigate the concerns raised by experts about confusion caused by a name change in the midst of a global outbreak,” the UN health agency said in a statement.

    Mpox is a rare viral disease that primarily occurs in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa, but outbreaks emerged in other parts of the world this year.

    There have more than 80,000 cases, and 55 deaths, with 110 countries affected.

    When the current outbreak expanded, WHO both observed and received reports of racist and stigmatising language online, in other settings and in some communities.

    “In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked WHO to propose a way forward to change the name,” the agency said.

    The monkeypox name was given in 1970, some 12 years after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys.

    This was before WHO first published best practices on naming diseases in 2015.

    These guidelines recommend that new disease names should aim to minimise unnecessary negative impacts on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare.

    They should also avoid offending any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups.

    WHO assigns names to new and, very exceptionally, existing diseases, through a consultative process.

    Medical and scientific experts, representatives from government authorities from 45 countries, as well as the general public, were invited to submit their suggestions.

    Based on the consultations, and further discussions with WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, the agency has recommended adoption of the mpox synonym.

    Considerations included rationale, scientific appropriateness, extent of current usage, pronounceability, usability in different languages, absence of geographical or zoological references, and the ease of retrieval of historical scientific information.

    WHO will adopt the term mpox in its communications, and encourages others to follow suit.

    The NewasAgency of Nigeria reports that the disease was called monkey pox because it was first discovered in monkeys in 1958.

    However, monkeys had nothing to do with the outbreaks this year. Rather, humans became infected through close physical contact with other humans.

    Nevertheless, monkeys were attacked this year in Brazil, for example, because humans held them responsible for the outbreaks.

    According to WHO guidelines, disease names should avoid references to specific countries, regions or animals.

    In addition, the name should be easy to pronounce.

  • World Toilet Day: 779m people lack safely managed sanitation services — WHO

    World Toilet Day: 779m people lack safely managed sanitation services — WHO

    World Health Organisation (WHO) says 779 million people around the world lack basic access to safely managed sanitation services.

    Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, said this on Friday in her message to commemorate the World Toilet Day (WTD).

    Nigerian Standard reports that WTD is annually marked on Nov. 19 to raise awareness about the importance of toilet to healthy life and hygiene.

    The day has “Groundwater and Sanitation – Making the Invisible Visible” as theme for 2022.

    The WHO Regional Director for Africa said 208 million people still practice open defecation.

    According to her, safely managed sanitation services will lead to attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDG) 6 target and essential for the realisation of other SDGs.

    She said that between year 2000 and 2020, the population of Africa increased from 800 million to 1.3 billion.

    She added that “some 290 million people gained access to at least basic sanitation services during that period.

    “However, 779 million people still lack those basic services, of these, 208 million still practice open defecation.”

    Moeti also said that access to safely managed sanitation services, in combination with safely managed drinking water services and good hygiene practices, was fundamental to ensuring public health.

    The director said that WHO and UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme report on progress on drinking water and sanitation highlighted the fact that only 29 per cent of healthcare facilities in Africa have basic sanitation services.

    She said that the Joint Monitoring Programme 2020 data showed 33 per cent of households in Africa have basic sanitation services, with 21 per cent using safely managed sanitation facilities.

    “Two out of three people lack safely managed sanitation services. The same report shows that in Africa, 27 per cent of rural and five per cent of urban populations still practice open defaecation.

    “We must work on average four times faster to ensure everyone has a safe toilet by 2030,” she added.

    She explained that the connection between sanitation and groundwater cannot be overlooked, saying that
    in densely populated urban settings, pit latrines and septic tanks sited close to waterpoints that draw from shallow aquifers create potentially serious health risks.

    She said that such has profound impact on public health and environmental integrity.

    Moeti said that for women and girls in particular, toilets at home, schools and at work help them fulfil their potential and play their full role in society, especially during menstruation and pregnancy.

    She said “the indignity, inconvenience, and danger of not having access to safely managed sanitation is a barrier to their full participation in society.

    “Safely managed and properly sited sanitation protects humans and groundwater from faecal waste pathogens.

    “A safe and sustainable sanitation system begins with a toilet that effectively captures human waste in a safe, accessible, and dignified setting.

    “Toilets drive improvements in health, gender equality, education, economics, and the environment.”

  • 5G has no negative health effects – NCC reassures Nigerians

    5G has no negative health effects – NCC reassures Nigerians

    The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has reassured the public that the new Fifth Generation network known as 5G has no adverse health effects.

    The Enugu Zonal Controller of the NCC, Mr Ogbonnaya Ugama made the clarification in Enugu on Saturday at a round table with members of the Association of Heads of Federal Establishments (AHFEs).

    Ugama explained that there was no convincing evidence that emissions from electromagnetic devices including handsets were harmful to the body.

    According to him, international bodies including the World Health Organization (WHO) have established a threshold that there is no solid evidence that 5G causes negative health effects on humans and animals.

    The controller however, advised users not to hold these electromagnetic devices like handsets close to their body if they had doubts.

    “NCC will do everything possible to guarantee the safety of the citizenry and ensure that every equipment with set standards is approved.

    Ugama reiterated the benefits of the 5G network saying that it was designed to increase speed, reduce latency and improve flexibility of wireless services.

    “5G has theoretical peak speed of 20 Gigabytes per Second (GBPS) while the peak speed of 4G is only one GBPS.

    “5G can transform the Nigeria’s economy, dwelling on its projected impact in sectors of education, finance, security, agriculture, healthcare, entertainment and even governance,” he said.

    The controller disclosed that Nigeria was the third country in Africa that had rolled out the 5G network adding that it was operational in six states of Lagos, Imo, Borno, Kano, Rivers, Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Ugama said the network would be extended to other states by 2025.

  • Uganda confirms 9 more Ebola cases in Kampala

    Uganda confirms 9 more Ebola cases in Kampala

    An alarming increase of Ebola in the capital of Ugandan, Kampala, has been reported by the country’s officials, as Nine people in the metropolitan area tested positive on Sunday.

    Uganda’s Health Minister, Jane Ruth Aceng, on Monday, explained that this was in addition to two others on Friday.

    Recall that there had been a disturbing increase in infections, just over a month, after an outbreak was declared in a remote part of the East African country.

    A top official of the World Health Organization, WHO, in Africa said last week that Uganda’s Ebola outbreak was “rapidly evolving,” describing a challenging situation for health workers.

    Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 75 cases of Ebola since Sept. 20, including 28 deaths. There are 19 active cases.

    There is no proven vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola circulating in Uganda

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that the official numbers did not include those who probably died of Ebola before the outbreak was confirmed in a farming community about 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Kampala.

    Fears that Ebola could spread far from the outbreak’s epicenter compelled authorities to impose an ongoing lockdown, including nighttime curfews, on two of the five districts reporting Ebola cases. The measures were put in place after a man infected with Ebola sought treatment in Kampala and died in a hospital there.

    The nine new cases reported Monday followed a similar pattern as they all are contacts of an Ebola-infected patient who traveled from an Ebola hotspot and sought treatment at Kampala’s top public hospital, known as Mulago.

    There is no proven vaccine for the Sudan strain of Ebola circulating in Uganda.

    Ugandan officials by Thursday had documented more than 1,800 Ebola contacts, 747 of whom had completed 21 days of monitoring for possible signs of the disease that manifests as viral hemorrhagic fever, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    Tracing contacts is key to stemming the spread of contagious diseases like Ebola.

    Ebola is spread by contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and, at times, internal and external bleeding.

    Scientists do not know the natural reservoir of Ebola, but they suspect the first person infected in an outbreak acquired the virus through contact with an infected animal or eating its raw meat. Ugandan officials are still investigating the source of the current outbreak.

    Uganda has had multiple Ebola outbreaks, including one in 2000 that killed more than 200 people. The 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa killed more than 11,000 people, the disease’s largest death toll.

    Ebola was discovered in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Congo, where it occurred in a village near the Ebola River, after which the disease is named.

  • Beware of killer cough syrup in circulation – NHCF warns Nigerians

    Beware of killer cough syrup in circulation – NHCF warns Nigerians

    The Nigerian Health Commissioners’ Forum chairman, Dr Oyebanji Filani, has warned the general public against taking some cough syrups which have killed over 66 children in the Gambia and many other West African countries.

    Oyebanji, who is the Ekiti State health commissioner, listed the syrups as “Promethazine Oral Solution BP, Kofexmalin- Baby Cough syrup, MARKOFF Baby and MaGrip n Cold Syrup;” and urged Nigerians to be on the lookout for the drugs.

    According to the NHCF statement in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, stating that the Health Ministry is bringing to the notice of the public of some killer cough syrup.

    The NHCF statement titled, ‘Health commissioners’ forum warns against use of four contaminated cough syrups’, charged parents whose children had symptoms such as diarrhoea and headache to seek the advice of health professionals.

    Oyebanji said the World Health Organisation had directed the removal of the drugs from circulation to prevent further harm.

    He stated, “WHO Director General, Dr Tedross Ghebreyasus, noted that these syrups contain two toxic products usually used as a solvent and anti-freeze agent which have been confirmed to cause acute kidney injuries among children.

    “The WHO added that the toxic products are colourless and almost odourless, which makes it difficult to detect.”

    The NHCF chairman added that the Director General of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, had confirmed that the said drugs were not registered in Nigeria.

    Oyebanji also stated, “The forum will continue to work with NAFDAC and other relevant authorities to ensure that such products if found in the country, are taken off the shelf to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.”

    Oyebanji, who assured of the forum’s commitment to promoting Nigerians’ health and well-being, urged everyone to take personal responsibility for completely removing such injurious products from circulation if found either from their pharmaceutical and patent medicine stores or their various homes in Nigeria