LAGOS – The Lagos State Government on Sunday advised residents to be mindful of what they do, eat and drink during the yuletide, to ensure that Lagos and the entire country remained Ebola-Free.
This is contained in a statement by the state commissioner for Health, Dr Jide idris, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to the statement, it is imperative to be on the alert since the season was noted for wining, dining and visiting of relations and friends, particularly those coming from other countries.
It urged residents to endeavour to observe good personal and environmental hygiene and heed to advice, given by the State Government on the prevention of the Ebola Virus Disease.
“Presently, there is no active case of Ebola in the country but Ebola is still a threat as it is present in the neighbouring West Africa countries.
“We,need to be on the alert and observe a high degree of personal and environmental hygiene, especially during this season of celebrations, to prevent the disease from resurfacing in the country.
“We should always remember to wash our hands with soap and water frequently, particularly after touching sick people.
“Avoid direct contact with body fluids like saliva, vomit, stool, semen, vaginal fluids and the urine of suspected persons and avoid eating fruits half eaten by animals,” the statement said.
It urged citizens to cook all foods, particularly meat, thoroughly before eating and to clean all surfaces that had been contaminated with body secretions with bleach or detergents.
It also appealed to residents not to defecate or urinate indiscriminately and notify the health authority of anyone coming from any West African country, within their communities.
“Be assured that the Government is still carrying out search for cases while follow-ups on rumoured cases are ongoing and we will keep providing updates and disease prevention messages,“ it said.
The statement further urged health workers to keep observing the universal safety precautions when dealing with patients, adding that early detection of the disease and care can save lives.
“Do not attempt to care for any suspected case on your own. Please call the Ebola Help line 0800-EBOLAHELP or 0800-32652-4357 or the Local Government nearest to you for help.
“With your cooperation, we can achieve a healthy population next year and beyond, “ the statement added. (NAN)
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