Sad! Spouses of Patrick Sawyer’s primary contacts test positive to Ebola

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu has announced that the spouses of the two people who had contact with late Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who brought the virus to Nigeria, had been diagnosed of the deadly disease.

He said that the two new cases are the first secondary contacts to test positive to the deadly virus that has already killed five people in the country.

He added that the secondary contacts had been under surveillance since the disease broke out in the country.

Lagos state commissioner of Health, Dr. Jide Idris had last Wednesday, told journalists at a press conference that five new suspected Ebola virus cases were brought to the isolation ward of the Yaba Mainland Hospital in Lagos on Tuesday. He had also added that two of those five cases were from secondary contacts linked to the Sawyer, the index case.

He had said: “Till date, we have recorded eight suspected cases, five of which came in yesterday (Tuesday), 12 confirmed”. On the whole, five have died (including the index case). We are currently following up 213 contacts, and 62 have completed the two-day follow-up.”

Meanwhile, as if haunted by the pains her husband caused Nigerians, especially the families of those who have died of the virus, including Dr. Stella Adadevoh, Patrick Sawyer’s wife has pleaded for forgovines from Nigerians.

In a recent statement issued, she said: "I share the pains that the family members of the Nigerian doctor are going through. It is just a pity that Patrick had to cause this damage both in Liberia and Nigeria."

"I want to reach out to them and express how deeply saddened and sorry I am for their loss and their pain. I do apologise if my words have cost anyone who is grieving more pain. I fall on my knees and ask God for his healing power for all of those who are still infected with Ebola. I pray for all of the families whose loved ones were taken away by this merciless killer Ebola, especially those affected by Patrick's actions”

Blaming the Liberian government for ineptitude unteil her husband’s action and death, she said:"Ebola didn't start with Patrick in Liberia, as we both know. Ebola was in Liberia from a traveller from Guinea since February of this year. The government knew about it and did nothing. Many Liberians, including me, called out to the government then to close the borders. They didn't do so until one of their own, Patrick (Sawyer), died in July.

"Many people died before Patrick and their lives were just as important. That is my frustration. Ebola didn't have to go to Nigeria, Africa's most populated country, had the Liberian government taken drastic actions sooner. I, too, have family members and friends in Nigeria, and now they are at risk because of Patrick's actions.

She went further: "In spite of my anger and disappointment with him, I don't believe that he did this with evil intent (I could be wrong). I believe his actions were that of a desperate man. And sad for everyone involved, Nigeria was closer than the U.S. This is just my take on what he could have been thinking (of course, I could be wrong).

"My regret is that I was so caught up in my own pain and frustration that I neglected to see the pain of the innocent people both in Liberia and Nigeria who are affected by Patrick's actions. For that, I am deeply sorry. The last thing I wanted to do was to cause them pain. It is a pain I know. It is a pain I don't want them to have."