A nurse, Justina Obi Echelonu, one of the primary contacts who participated in the initial management of the index case, late American-Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, at the First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos, has died in quarantine.

She is the second nurse and fourth fatality of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country.

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed her death yesterday at a joint press briefing with the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, in Abuja.

Chukwu, who disclosed that another of the doctors who treated the late Patrick Sawyer tested positive to the deadly virus, said Nigeria has now recorded 10 confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, of which four have died and six are currently under treatment.

“The total number of persons under surveillance in Lagos is now 169. These are all secondary contacts as all the primary contacts have completed the 21-day incubation period and have been de-listed to resume their normal lives,” the Minister explained.

Earlier, a top medical expert who is part of the medical team of experts managing confirmed cases at the Ebola Ward of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, said the nurse passed away in the early hours of yesterday.

“We lost her in the early hours of today after much effort. She was one of the people that helped Sawyer when he was vomiting and stooling. That was when she contacted it,” he remarked.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said he could not confirm the death of the nurse yet but promised to give details after the Ebola Management Committee meeting scheduled to hold at the hospital later in the evening.

Also confirming news of her death, Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji regretted the demise of the nurse, and commended her for her selfless service to the nation. In a statement issued, yesterday, the governor prayed for the repose of the dead.

“My heart bleeds as I write this. On behalf of my family, the Government and the good people of Abia State, I commiserate with family, friends and colleagues of our dear lady nurse, Justina Echelonu, who died following the contact she had with the American-Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, in the course of discharging her duty as a nurse. I pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this tragic and irreparable loss. Rest in Peace Ms Justina Echelonu.”

Ms. Echelonu is the fourth person to die of the disease in Nigeria after Mr. Sawyer died on July 25 and was followed by two other nurses.

Justina, 25, previously worked at Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Centre, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State before relocating to Lagos to take up appointment with First Consultants Hospital. She hailed from Mbaise in Imo State and graduated from the Department of Nursing Science in Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki.


The Lagos State Ebola quarantine centre and Late Nurse Justina Obi Ejelonu

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-another-nurse-dies-doctor-bad-state/

What of the stupid one that defied Doctors orders, escaped, and ran to Enugu? You would have thought she should know better given all the medical training she's had!

na wa oooooooooooooooooooooo

This is so sad.....but like the baboon, i just wonder...Sawyer why?

RIP to the dead, nne, gaa nke oma!

Whatever we are seeing now is exactly what mr sawyer set out to achieve the day he landed nigeria! GEJ was just being kind when he labelled him as a 'crazy' man. That man was nothing more than a DEVILLISH BIO TERRORIST!!!

Odikwa serious oo. RIP

RIP

RIP Ms.Justina Obi Echelonu proudly Mbaise girl. God bless your soul! Amen!

This is truly sad. Another unnecessary death, brought about by the reactive nature of a weak and ineffective government.

alentyno: .

Caught u!

Where is d place of safety? Jesus........

Abasi mbok!

.

All ye people from the ebola headquarters of Nigeria Lagos abeg make una no carry am enter Calabar oh

oo God pls help us

She is dead....please ma on behalf of all NIGERIANS if you see patrick sawyer in heaven or hell,PLEASE RELAY OUR CURSES to him..oloriburuku somebody

Ebola, d realest shyt since anthrax.

It is well.

Ebola...Africa in Trouble!!! Run for ur Life!!!

I hate wen I get a FTC chance but its on a tragic news... Sighs

tz a pity . . . . rest in peace dear
sawyer burn in hell! !!

rest in peace

Nawa oo.

Sad...absolutely sad...The Lord will be our refuge in this trying and hard period of evil and deadly ebola outbreak...#sad mood...

I don't even know what to type. Ok RIP

RIP to the dead..i pray allah grants her family the fortitude to bear the loss..so sad she died d way she did;

Sweetlemon: Abasi mbok!

Ima,ku yak idem uyeng.

Joshuadon: na wa oooooooooooooooooooooo

so sad.
Just last week I read abt dz lady talking abt how she attended to Patrick Sawyer

RIP to the dead

spiritfada: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/ebola-latest-another-nurse-dies-doctor-bad-state/

RIP

So sad after much effort.
I though the Lagos governor, Fashola, siad they were responding to treatment. Ebola , you no do gud ooo