Ebola: Man’s death causes panic in Edo community
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
The death of a middle aged man suspected to have been infected with Ebola virus has caused panic and confusion in Udo, a community in Ovia South-West area of Edo State.
The man who was said to have died on Sunday afternoon after a fall, was said to have foam in the mouth and had blood in parts of his body, making some residents of the community to believe that he died of the dreaded virus.
Others however attributed the death of the man to epilepsy attack.
Officials of the State Ministry of Health were said to have mobilised to the community to collect blood sample of the deceased for test to ascertain the actual cause of his death.
Pandemonium however broke out when villagers were said to have covered their hands with cloths and bundled the sick man into a waiting bus and ordered the driver to take him to hospital.
The bus driver, fearing that he might be infected refused to drive to the hospital but instead, dropped the sick man from his bus.
The unidentified man was said to have died during the drama.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Aihanuwa Eregie was unavailable for comment, but an official of the Ministry who pleaded anonymity said they were alerted of the matter “so we immediately sent our officials to the community to get the blood sample of the man who they said is dead already.
“Though we heard he was an epileptic patient but we just want to be sure about the cause of death. His corpse has been isolated and we can only talk more when the result of the test is out. You remember that the state government had earlier came out to say we don’t have Ebola case in Edo, so if eventually we receive report of any case we will definitely tell the world because it is a serious matter.” the source stated.
Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lious Odion, has urged the people of the state to remain vigilant and report any case of any persons suspected of being infected by Ebola virus disease.
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