Ebola: 20 hospitalised after over-consumption of salt

About 20 people have reportedly fallen sick as a result of excessive salt consumption following yesterday’s message that went viral, urging people to take salt and water solution to prevent the Ebola virus infection.

PUNCH reports from Plateau State that they were admitted in various hospitals across the state.
The source which spoke to the paper said most of the patients rushed to the hospital were hypertensive while others showed symptoms of stooling due to excessive consumption of salt. They were mostly women and children.

Health authorities around the country have since urged people to disregard the salt solution therapy as it had no effect on the Ebola virus.

Many across the country were woken with messages yesterday urging them to take salt water solution and bath with warm water mixed with salt before leaving their homes in the morning. Many actually fell for the rumour and went on salt and water consumption spree.

Personal hygiene like washing the hands and body with soap, avoiding the processing of bush meat and avoiding contact with sick animals are some of the known measures of checking the virus.

Anyone who presents Ebola-like symptoms should be taken to the nearest hospital for proper care.
President Goodluck Jonathan has also declared the Ebola outbreak a national emergency, approving the sum of N1.9billion to tackle it