The body of the American expatriate at the centre of the Ebola virus scare is to be flown back to the United States of America (USA). The expatriate, who is said to have travelled to one of the infected countries in the sub-region, died on Monday, July 7, 2014.
The body is to be released to the American Embassy in Ghana.
A source at the Ministry of Health (MoH), who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic, said the four nurses who were also quarantined after they had come into contact with the American before his death were released on Tuesday evening.
No Ebola in Ghana
The release of the followed four tests conducted by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) which proved that the patient did not suffer from Ebola fever.
Although the American, who died at the Nyaho Medical Centre, on Sunday, July 6, 2014, presented symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic fever, all the test conducted on him proved that he did not have Ebola fever.
A statement on Monday, signed by the Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victoria Fummey, and made available to the Daily Graphic, said the expatriate was transferred to the centre by the West African Rescue Association (WARA).
As a precautionary measure, MOH requested the four nurses to be quarantined and placed more public health personnel at the clinic after supplying them with protective gowns.
Emergency measures
To ensure that the virus did not spread in the country, if the test on the American had proved positive, the MoH on Tuesday held an emergency meeting with the National Disease Surveillance Team to put in place measures that would help contain any possible spread of Ebola fever in the country.
The team includes the Department of Public Health, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).
The ministry earlier advised the public to remain calm and that the team was working very hard, especially in the area of public education, to raise the required awareness and get all to practise the highest level prevention and control measures.
<<Print>>