The Lagos State Government has reiterated the need for members of the general public to ensure and maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the Ebola virus disease recurring.

This follows reported cases of resurgence of Ebola in some neigbouring West African countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, Dr Modele Osunkiyesi, gave the advice from her office at Ikeja.

She said the need to be vigilant and ensure adequate hygiene was informed by the recent reported confirmed cases of Ebola in Liberia where a teenager was tested positive to EVD, 52 days after the country was cleared of Ebola while Sierra Leone had also recorded new cases.

“Lagosians are advised to remain calm as the government remains committed to protecting your health. Health workers are also enjoined to keep observing the universal safety precautions when dealing with patients,”
Osunkiyesi said.

She said the state government in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and other stakeholders were maintaining surveillance through Port Health Services and community surveillance activities in all local government areas.

Osunkiyesi noted that that the prevention of Ebola remained a shared responsibility by all citizens.

She urged residents to observe the highest possible standards of personal and environmental hygiene through regular washing of hands with soap and running water, avoiding close contact with people who are sick, ensuring that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly disposed and avoid touching or washing of dead bodies if not trained to do so.

She explained that EVD can be spread through close contact with the blood, body fluids, organs and tissues of infected animals, direct contact with the blood, body fluids, and tissues of infected persons and handling sick or dead infected animals.

Lagos was among states worst affected by the outbreak of Ebola last year when several lives were lost in the country.

Credit: CAJ News