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Lagos State Health Commissioner Confirms Five New Suspected Ebola Cases

August 20, 2014

Today, Lagos State Health Commissioner, Jide Idris, disclosed that five new Ebola cases have been suspected in the state. These new cases bring the figure up to eight suspected cases.

"We have recorded eight suspected cases, five of which were brought in yesterday," the commissioner announced. "We have 12 confirmed cases on the whole. Five have died and five have been discharged," he said.

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Lagos State Health Commissioner Jide Idris

Further, the commissioner stated that there are a number of individuals being monitored for symptoms. "We are currently following up on 213 contacts while 62 have completed the 21-day follow up."

[story_link align="right"]34584[/story_link]Idris encouraged the public to be on guard and follow instructions from government health officials. "This is a call for vigilance as human transmission is only achieved by physical contact with a person who is acutely and gravely ill from Ebola virus through body fluids such as blood, urine, stool, saliva, breast milk, semen and vomitus," said the health commissioner.

"Burial ceremonies where mourners, including family members, have direct contact with patients who died of Ebola have also played a role in the spread, and direct contact with dead bodies should be minimized at this period," he furthered.