Ebola virus spread in Nigeria under control: Minister

Abuja, Aug 21:

has been successful in its efforts to control the spread of

disease, a minister said.

Nigerian Minister of Health Onyeabuchi Chukwu on Wednesday said that only two people have been infected with the virus in Nigeria at present, Xinhua reported.

He said the Nigerian government was being praised by various international organisations and the US government on the ways the outbreak of the virus was being handled.

Chukwu said the federal government was contemplating honouring all victims of the Ebola virus, particularly the medical personnel who died as a result of the disease.

He said the government was in touch with the family of the doctor who died on Tuesday.

At least 177 people are under surveillance in Nigeria, Chukwu said.

177 people are under surveillance in Nigeria

Earlier this month, Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan declared a national emergency, saying a sum of 1.9 billion naira ($11.6 million) would be released to prevent further spread of the epidemic.

Ebola spreads through body fluids and has killed over 1,200 people in West African countries.

According to the UN, number of Ebola cases in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, has reached 2,240 and a total of 1,229 deaths were registered.

An outbreak of Ebola virus disease began in Guinea in December 2013, leading to an epidemic in West Africa after it spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria.

Ebola is a highly infectious disease spread through body contact with an infected person. Its symptoms are high fever, bleeding, diarrhoea and red eyes among others.

IANS