8th Oct 2014 With the news of the first Ebola case discovered in the United States, attention is turning once again to Africa, but for a different reason this time. Faced with a virus that no one could predict would hit their nation, and with the arrival of the first case in the US markedly similar to that of Nigeria, the United States is turning to Nigeria and Senegal to study and learn, how the nation dealt so definitively with the disease. Senegal has not announced any reported cases of Ebola since Sept. 18 while Nigeria has not reported new ones since August 31.
The Vanguard in Nigeria refers to a statement released by the US CDC Director Tom Frieden where he is quoted as saying “it’s clear the nation needs a quick and thorough response to its first Ebola patient” In referring to Nigeria, the Director adds “their extensive response to a single case of Ebola shows that control is possible with rapid, focused interventions.”
In referring to actions carried out by Nigeria to contain the outbreak, Mr Frieden mentioned the establishment of an Ebola Incident Management Center to handle potential outbreaks and a strategy that saw 26,000 households contacted in following up anyone who had come in contact with the virus.