READ THIS! Why Ebola could spread wider across Port Harcourt and beyond

Even as 255 people have been placed under surveillance for the dreaded Ebola virus in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the World Health Organisation (W.H.O) has warned that the virus could spread wider and faster than it did in Lagos.

The UN health body considered events that led to the journey of the virus and the factors that played out after the diplomat who had contact with the index case, Patrick Sawyer, jumped surveillance in Lagos and found his way to Port Harcourt, which is about 435 km east of Lagos by air and 618km by road.

Read the account below and see how and why Ebola in Port Harcourt may spread wider and faster. It all started with that diplomat, Olu-Ibukun Koye.

Olu-Ibukun Koye

 When the Liberian, Sawyer, fell ill from the virus at the airport on arrival from Liberia on July 25, he was taken from the airport to a private hospital by two of his colleagues who were ECOWAS diplomats.

One of the diplomats later died of the disease but the other evaded surveillance and traveled to Port Harcourt, where he fell ill and was treated in secret at a city hotel room by medical doctor Iyke Enemuo from August 1 to August 3.

The diplomat recovered and Enemuo continued to treat patients at his private clinic in spite of his unprotected contact with the diplomat. According to W.H.O investigation, he even operated on at least two people, despite showing symptoms of Ebola from August 11.

"On August 13, his symptoms worsened; he stayed at home and was hospitalized on August 16.

"Prior to hospitalization, the physician had numerous contacts with the community, as relatives and friends visited his home to celebrate the birth of a baby.

"Once hospitalized, he again had numerous contacts with the community, as members of his church visited to perform a healing ritual (prayers for his healing) said to involve the laying on of hands."

Over the six days he spent in hospital "the majority" of healthcare staff treated him while two doctors performed an abdominal scan at an ultrasound clinic the day before his death, the statement added.

"Given these multiple high-risk exposure opportunities, the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Port Harcourt has the potential to grow larger and spread faster than the one in Lagos”.

Who knows where all these contacts have since traveled to?