The Federal Government has declared the student who died of suspected fresh case of Ebola Virus Disease in Calabar, Cross River State free from pathogenic viruses.
The government said this in a statement signed by Linus Awute, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, in Abuja.
Awute said all tests conducted to establish the actual cause of the student’s death proved negative to all pathogenic viruses known to man.
NAN reports that the ministry had earlier dispelled the speculation of fresh case of Ebola in Calabar.
The statement by Awute said: “Various tests conducted on the deceased’s blood samples confirmed that the deceased was negative for both the Ebola Virus and Lassa Fever Virus.”
The ministry had also directed that the Redeemers University’s African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Ede, Osun State to confirm which virus caused the infection and death.
According to Awute, the result shows that the deceased was negative of pathogenic virus.
It added: “The possibility of poisoning or intoxication with a chemical cannot be ruled out at this stage.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control will continue with this investigation in collaboration with National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.”
It stated that the ministry had directed that the Accident and Emergency Unit where the patient was admitted would remain closed throughout this weekend.
The statement added: “The quarantined staff have been released and directed to report twice daily for temperature monitoring and follow-ups where necessary.
“A hospital sensitisation seminar facilitated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control was conducted.
“Normal clinical services have resumed at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and the safety of this operation is guaranteed after the detailed decontamination carried out.”
The ministry, it added, reiterated that there was no Ebola in Nigeria and the country remains Ebola free as certified by the World Health Organisation.
The permanent secretary urged Nigerians to observe personal and environmental hygiene and keep reporting any suspected cases to the health institutions nearest to them.
NAN.