Third American Doctor To Contract Ebola Identified As Rick Sacra

The third American to have contracted Ebola has been named as 51-year-old veteran doctor Rick Sacra who volunteered to go to Liberia when Writebol and Brantly tested positive. Bruce Johnson, the president of SIM USA, revealed this in a press conference yesterday.

Johnson said his group was cooperating with US health authorities to determine how Sacra, who is from Massachusetts, got sick.

While stressing there was no confirmation at this time, Johnson said there was a chance Sacra — who had been working in obstetrics at the SIM-funded ELWA hospital — caught the virus from someone who had yet to show signs of the disease.

“They check patients at our hospital before admittance for Ebola symptoms and there’s a strong possibility that the Ebola symptoms were masked and not presenting themselves with a particular patient who was admitted and cared for and possibly this was how Dr Sacra contracted it.”

Contact of Port Harcourt Ebola Victim Dies at Treatment Center

Another person has died today who contracted the Ebola virus disease from Dr. Iyke Enemuo who had died of Ebola disease on August 22 after treating an Ecowas official.

As the Rivers State Government is planning to burn the corpse of Doctor Iyke Enemuo, it has been announced that one of his primary contacts has also died of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Dan Nwomeh, Special Assistant to the Minister of Health on Media and Communication, confirmed  the death today in a series of tweets updating Nigerians on the status of the disease earlier today.

Dr Enemuo's wife, Mrs. Enemuo is still being treated at the Ebola Isolation Center in Lagos. She has a 3-month-old baby who is being cared for by relatives, also in Lagos.

Another American Doctor Tests Positive For Ebola in Liberia

Another American missionary doctor has tested positive for Ebola in Monrovia, Liberia; making him the third American health care worker to contract the virus. The name of the doctor, who worked for the Christian aid group SIM, has not been released.

However, the group said in a statement that he did not treat Ebola patients. Instead, he saw obstetrics patients at the organization's main ELWA hospital, which is separate from its Ebola isolation unit. How he became infected is unknown.

The doctor isolated himself at the onset of symptoms and is currently being treated at the isolation facility, according to the group. They added that he is "doing well and is in good spirits."

Ebola Spreads In Nigeria - New Suspected Cases Reported In Abuja, Kaduna and Lagos

A patient suspected to have been infected with the deadly Ebola virus has died at the Asokoro Hospital Abuja. Another died at LUTH Lagos while a student of ABU Zaria is sick and suspected to be infected with the deadly virus.

The suspected patient in Abuja exhibited symptoms similar to those of persons infected with the virus, and died at the hospital last Friday. Following the death of the patient, a statement was released by the FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat, signed by the secretariat’s head of public relations, Badaru Yakassai.

The secretariat advised residents of Abuja not to panic as a case of Ebola has not been confirmed at the hospital, adding that the measures that have been put in place are only precautionary in the interest of public safety. The statement reads in part;

Dencia Seeks $1Million For Ebola Through Online Fundraising Campaign

Dencia is tackling the issue of Ebola head on as the singer and Whitenicious owner has continued in her campaign of raising awareness about the Ebola Virus Disease.

She’s taking things further through her foundation, Dencia Foundation For Hope, by raising funds to get ZMapp to Africa. In a short video on Instagram two days ago, Dencia implores people to join her, saying;

“Sneak peak of my #Ebola #fundraising campaign video.It will be up online in a few hours,#togetherWeWiBeatEbola #WeWillRaiseTheMoney #We will make it happen. #denciaFoundationForHope. Thanks 2 @dak4eva for holding me down.We did it mama”

The full video has now been posted on Youtube. She is asking for $1Million from her fans and is putting in $50,000 in a GoFundMe Campaign HERE.

Ebola In Port Harcourt, ECOWAS Official Koye Olu-Ibukun, To Be Charged For Manslaughter

Koye Olu-Ibukun, the Nigerian who escaped from observation in Lagos, after coming in contact with Patrick Sawyer and beginning to show symptoms of Ebola virus to travel to Port Harcourt for treatment, may be facing manslaughter charges soon.

Olu-Ibukun was attached to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as head of their liaison office in Lagos and had come in contact with Patrick Sawyer in that capacity. His irresponsible actions of travelling while sick resulted in the death of the doctor who treated him (Iyke Enemuo), and also exposed unknown numbers of Nigerians to the virus.

There are reports that the number of persons under surveillance in the state for Ebola Virus Disease has increased to almost 200.

Dennis Akagba, Fiance of Justina Ejelonu, On Why She Died And How He Was Able to Beat Ebola

Mr. Dennis Akagha is the husband-to-be of late Miss Justina Ejelonu, the nurse who contacted and died of the Ebola disease from Mr. Sawyer. In an interview with Vanguard, he shares his experience of caring for his fiance before her death, and his own terrifying brush with the Ebola Virus Disease.

On how Justina contracted the virus from Patrick Sawyer

The truth is that Justina and I were not legally married, we were planning for our traditional marriage in October and she just got this job. She was a qualified graduate nurse and got the job at the First Consultant Hospital in Lagos. She resumed duty at the hospital on the 21st of July, while Patrick Sawyer was admitted at the hospital on the 20th.

He was her first patient. She was one of the nurses that nursed him. She was pregnant and so her immune system was weak, which made it easy for her to contract the disease. On that first day which was a Monday, she was having some pregnancy symptoms, but I just encouraged her to go because it was her first day at work. Sawyer was her first patient.

The next day, Tuesday, she didn’t work on Sawyer. Wednesday and Thursday, she was off. Then on Friday, Patrick Sawyer died. They didn’t know he had Ebola, it was three days later that they realized it was Ebola.

How Ebola Infected Diplomat Escaped Surviellance To Travel To Port Harcourt

Sampson Parker

In revealing the iden­tity of the ECOWAS staff who was treated by Dr Enemuo as Mr. Olu-ibukun Koye, see picture HERE, the commissioner for health in Rivers State noted that he was one of those who received the Liberian-American, Pat­rick Sawyer in Lagos.

Koye Olu-Ibukun was said to have sneaked out of Lagos to Port Harcourt, with the help of a lady simply identified as Lillian for treatment.

“The patient had received the late Dr. Patrick Sawyer in Lagos. Upon developing the symptom confided in a female colleague, called Lillian, who contacted the late Dr. Enemuo. It was after contact was established with Dr. Enemuo that Olu-Ibikun Koye flew to Port Harcourt to see Dr. Enemuo”.

The Commissioner said the Diplomat who escaped from a quarantine centre in Lagos sneaked into a hotel, Mandate Gardens in Rumuokoro area of the state and also switched off his phones to evade arrest.

Sister Of Ebola Victim in Port Harcourt Almost Escaped And Fled to Abia State

A sister of a Port Harcourt-based medical doctor, Iyke Enemuo, who recently died from the Ebola virus, fled to Abia State to avoid being quarantined along with others who came into contact with the late doctor.

However, one of her siblings, who is also a doctor, forced her to return to the quarantine center in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

The woman helped care for her doctor brother as he suffered from the debilitating disease caused by the Ebola virus.

Dr. Enemuo had contracted the virus when he was secretly treating a staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who, in turn, had had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who initially brought the disease into Nigeria.

Koye Olu-Ibukun Named As Ebola Index Case In Port Harcourt

Koye Olu-Ibukun has been named as the diplomat who, after making contact with the Liberian diplomat Sawyer, went away secretly to Port Harcourt and was treated by Ike Enemuo, a doctor from Sam Steel Hospital on East-West Road. Olu-Ibukun then returned to Lagos cleared of the virus.

The ECOWAS staff was reportedly attended to at his hotel, MANDATE HOTEL. The hotel is close to Obio Akpor Secretariatat and the police station at Rumuodomanya (near Rumuokoro).

Apparently Enemuo was aware that Kuye was infected and even tried to decontaminate the place after treatment. However, the hotel has been closed down now.

When Enemuo became sick, he was treated at Green Heart hospital in GRA. After Enemuo died, he was taken to UPTH. On hearing of his death, Kuye then made a confession about his trip to Port Harcourt.

Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Sampson Parker, disclosed this to journalists Friday adding that though she could have been treated in the city, Enemuo’s widow had asked to be relocated away from Port Harcourt for personal reasons.

Infected Wife Of Ebola Victim In Port Harcourt Moved To Lagos Treatment Center

The wife of late Dr. Iyke Enemuo has been moved to the Ebola isolation and treatment center in Lagos. The doctor seceretly treated an ECOWAS diplomat, Koye Olu-Ibukun, who is suspected to be index case of Ebola in Port Harcourt.

After her husband contracted the virus while apparently successfully treating the ECOWAS staff, he passed it on to the wife before he died last week Friday.

Her three month-old baby is reportedly not showing any symptoms of the virus yet, and has been taken away from her custody.

Koye Olu-Ibukun - listed as the head of the ECOWAS Liaison Office in Lagos on Linkedin - is reportedly not showing any symptons of Ebola Virus Disease but is still being monitored.

Resident Wants Ebola Index Case In Port Harcourt To Be Named And Hotel Quarantined

We have discussed before whether Ebola infected or suspected cases should be named, and most say for legal and ethical reasons, it may be best not to. I think I agree. Before I continue, let us know this.

FACT! Ebola does not kill all in contact with infected persons. So far, the kill rate is 50% which is still not good, but let's not spread panic. 

I don't think it's necessary to name the ECOWAS staff who is the index case of Ebola in Port Harcourt, having been in contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Nigerian index case. I hear he/she is now Ebola free, he was treated and survived, unfortunately, the doctor who treated him contracted the disease and died.

Also, reputable news sources say the ECOWAS staff is being monitored in Lagos, if so, there is no need to release his name to PH residents.

But I agree that the hotel should be closed and cleaned up.

To all residents of PH, please do stay safe. Reduce your contact with crowds and strangers, wash your hands regularly and report anyone who you know is sick.

Below is an excerpt from the resident's mail to Ladun Liadi that spurred this post, as well as the full text of a TV broadcast by Rotimi Amaehi, the governor of Rivers State.

Ebola Confirmed In Port Harcourt - 1 Dead, 2 Infected And 70 Under Surveillance

It was reported yesterday that a patient suspected to be infected with the dreaded Ebola virus had died in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. And despite denials by Rivers state health commissioner, Sampson Parker at a press conference yesterday, insisting the victim did not die of Ebola, but fever and diarrhoea, new reports confirm it was Ebola.

Nigeria's Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed that the dead man was a PH doctor named Ikye Enemoah, and he died on Friday Aug. 22nd after treating a diplomat who had direct contact with Patrick Sawyer. 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)." 

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.

Fiance of Late Justina Ejelonu Tests Negative of Ebola And Discharged, Tells His Story

The fiancé of a nurse who died of Ebola has been discharged from the Ebola treatment center in Lagos this evening after his third test came out negative.

Dennis, who was late Justina Obi Ejelonu’s fiancé had been quarantined and later admitted into treatment after two tests confirmed that he was positive.

However, this evening Dennis was discharged from the treatment center with a certificate of clearance. He walked off the center in good health according top doctors who spoke anonymously with Saharareporters.

A second spouse of a deceased doctor who had primary contact with Liberian -American Thomas Sawyer who was admitted yesterday with Dennis remains hospitalized at the center, currently undergoing treatment.

British National Tests Positive For Ebola Virus In Sierra Leone

A British national living in Sierra Leone has tested positive for Ebola. It is the first reported case of a Briton contracting the deadly virus during the recent outbreak. The Department of Health (DoH) said the overall risk to those in the UK "continues to be very low".

Some 1,427 people have died since Ebola began spreading in West Africa at what the World Health Organisation has described as an "unprecedented" rate. The number of cases in the region now stands at 2,615.

The virus, which is spread between humans through direct contact with infected blood, attacks internal organs and has no known cure. Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage - and the fatality rate can be as high as 90%.

Hospital Where Patrick Sawyer Was Treated And Died Releases Statement

Photo of First Consultant Hospital Obalende

A statement written by Dr. B.N. Ohiaeri and  Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh before her death, has explained the timelines of Patrick Sawyer arriving at the First Consultant Hospital and his death by Ebola. The Index case in Nigeria was first diagnosed with malaria upon his arrival on the night of July 20 before he subsequently began to manisfest symptoms of the deadly virus.

Read the full statement by the hospital below...

In the interest of our patients, staff, the general public the nation at large we state the following:

A 40-years old gentlemen came into the hospital with symptoms suggestive of Malaria (fever, headache, extreme weakness) on Sunday night (20th July 2014). He was fully conscious and gave us his clinical history and told us he is a Senior Diplomat from Liberia. Laboratory investigations confirmed malaria whilst other test for HIV, Hepatitis B&C were negative. He was admitted and treatment commenced.

Two Spouses Of Late Ebola Victims In Nigeria Test Positive – Health Minister

Two new cases of Ebola have been announced today, and they are reported to be the spouses of two Ebola victims who had primary contact with late Patrick Sawyer, the man who brought Ebola to Nigeria.

Minister of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu announced this today August 22nd when he updated on the state of Ebola in Nigeria.

The Minister said the Prof. Chukwu said the two new cases are the first secondary contacts in isolation to test positive to the deadly virus. He said he cannot be sure of when Ebola will be completely eradicated from the country.

How Patrick Sawyer Abandoned His Pregnant Wife And Children Before His Death By Ebola

Decontee Sawyer has apologized for the seeming heartlessness of her open letter, and she asks Nigerians to be mindful of her daughters, and not curse the Sawyer name, even if they curse Patrick Sawyer.

The US-based widow of the first Ebola victim in Nigeria is currently campaigning against Ebola in the United States and trying to raise funds for patients in Liberia.

She has opened up on her private life with Patrick Sawyer, and how he moved in with another woman in Liberia, abandoning her while she was 7months pregnant. She blames big manism for the decayed health system of Liberia and the high number of deaths from Ebola.

Read Decontee's message below...

To God Be The Glory - Both American Doctors Discharged After Being Cleared Of Ebola

Both Nancy Writebol and Dr. Kent Brantly have been cured of the Ebola virus and released from Emory Hospital in Atlanta.

Brantly said, "God saved my life. I am thrilled to be alive, to be well, and reunited with my family." He also called his recovery "a miraculous day."

Brantly told a news conference at Emory Hospital that when Writebol left the hospital on Tuesday, she asked him to speak on her behalf ot the public and express gratitude for prayers on her behalf.

"When she walked out of the room, all she could say was ‘To God be the glory," Brantly recalled. "Nancy and (her husband) David are now spending some much needed time together."

Writebol's husband said in the statement that Writebol left the hospital in a "significantly weakened condition."

Rita Dominic, Omoni Oboli, Kemi Adetiba, Pay Tribute To Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh Who Died From Ebola

Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh contracted the Ebola Virus Disease from Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer, being the main physician that worked on his treatment at the First Consultants Hospital in Lagos. She passed away yesterday despite efforts to sustain her. May her soul rest in peace.

Celebrities and ordinary Nigerian on social media have begun to pay tribute to Dr. Ameyo who acted like a barrier between Ebola-ridden Patrick Sawyer and the general population. Rita Dominic who personally knows the doctor shared the picture above and wrote;

"A Hero or Heroine refers to characters who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice.. That is, heroism-for some greater good of all humanity.. Rest In Peace Dr AMEYO ADADEVOH

See more tributes below...