Abuja Environmental Board advises FCT residents on how to curtail Ebola spread

ABUJA – The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has advised FCT residents to imbibe good personal hygiene towards curtailing the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

 Mrs Aishat Adebayo, Director of the board, made this call at a news conference on Friday in Abuja.

Aisha said it was necessary to sensitise residents on safe ways to prevent the disease despite the fact that no incident has been recorded within the FCT.

“As you are all aware, the Ebola virus is present in Nigeria, and according to the World Health Organisation, the outbreak in Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia are unprecedented.

“Ebola is infectious but not contagious; humans can be infected by other humans if they come in contact with body fluids or excretions like saliva, sweat, semen and urine from an infected person.

“Humans can also get it by coming in contact with contaminated objects from infected persons, butchering infected animals or consuming poorly prepared bush meat,’’ she said.

Adebayo said that a mere contact of the Ebola virus with a person’s skin, without penetrating through certain body organs cannot result to Ebola infection.[eap_ad_2]

She advised residents to embrace the habit of regular hand washing with soap and water as an effective preventing measure.

“Mere contact of the virus with a person’s skin does not automatically result to infection.

“The virus is not active until it gets access into a person’s nose, ears, mouth or other exposed parts of the human body with mucous membrane.

 “This is where personal hygiene comes in.

“AEPB calls on residents of the FCT to embrace the habit of regular hand washing with soap and running water  as a method of avoiding contact with the virus,’’ she urged.

She alerted residents of the dangers in cohabiting with animals and pets, adding that such pets should be regularly vaccinated for them to be safe for cohabitation.

The director, however, assured that the board was collaborating with other relevant agencies of government to ensure that the virus does not spread in the city. (NAN)[eap_ad_3]