EBOLA: Salt Water Kills Three In Bauchi State

At least three people have been reported to have died, while a pregnant woman also landed in hospital, as a result of excessive intake of salt for the prevention of Ebola Virus in Bauchi State.

According to Vanguard report, an old man in Misau local council and three other adults in Bigi , Gudum Sayawa, and Bayara village, suburbs in Bauchi, northern Nigeria, were the victims of the salt intake exercise.

An unnamed source was quoted to have said that one of the deceased, Mr. Paul Bigi, 74, drank more than two cups of salted water and also rub some on his body after bathing with the salt water as advised by his children.

“Less than one hour after he took the salt water, Baba started deficating non-stop and he died in the morning around 7am,” the source said.

Also in Gumdum Sayawa, it was gathered that one John Ayuba made use of one bag of salt in one drum of water for bathing and one bag of salt in another drum of water for drinking due to large number of people living in his house.

A family source informed that Ayuba died of diarrhea and vomiting moments later.

Meanwhile, a health worker who did not want his name published, at the Bayara Specialist Hospital informed that a hypertensive patient drank three glasses of water filled with salt.

He said: “A hypertensive patient who drank three classes of salt water was brought by his relatives to our hospital. He did not survive the crisis as his blood level has exceeded the normal range”

In Gudum Sayawa, a pregnant woman, Mrs. Hanatu Kushi, was said to have a miscarriage after taking salt solution.

Mrs Kushi is said to be currently treated at a private hospital in the area.

When contacted, the Bauchi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Sani Malami, denied reports of outbreak of Ebola in the state, saying the rumour was to create unnecessary panic.

He advised the citizens of the state to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of severe fever to the nearest health facility, assuring that adequate measures have been put in place to treat infected persons.

The Ebola virus is believed to have killed no fewer than three people in Lagos since its outbreak in Nigeria in July via Liberian man, Patrick Sawyer.

According to Nigerian Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, 11 people have been confirmed to have contracted the deadly disease while more than hundred of others are being monitored for symptoms of the Ebola virus.

The World Health Organisation, WHO, says at least 1069 people have died of the virus since February this year.

Nigerians and citizens of Guinea, Sierre Leone and Liberia have been advised to wash their hands regularly and avoid contact with animals like monkey, bats, antelopes e.t.c to avoid contracting the Ebola virus.