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| Two New Cases of Ebola Stem From Secondhand Contact | |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Two new cases of Ebola were reported in Nigeria on Friday, both in spouses of health workers who died after caring for the Liberian-American who brought the disease there last month. | FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Two new cases of Ebola were reported in Nigeria on Friday, both in spouses of health workers who died after caring for the Liberian-American who brought the disease there last month. |
| The health minister of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, said more cases beyond the 14 known ones could arise, but thus far all are linked to Patrick Sawyer, a Minnesota resident who was very ill when he arrived in Lagos on a flight from Liberia and died soon after, on July 25. | The health minister of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, said more cases beyond the 14 known ones could arise, but thus far all are linked to Patrick Sawyer, a Minnesota resident who was very ill when he arrived in Lagos on a flight from Liberia and died soon after, on July 25. |
| The cases were the first from secondhand contact with Mr. Sawyer. Until Friday, world health officials had hoped Nigeria’s outbreak was fading. | The cases were the first from secondhand contact with Mr. Sawyer. Until Friday, world health officials had hoped Nigeria’s outbreak was fading. |
| “We are not surprised by this,” Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the health minister, said in a telephone interview. “There may be a few more. All these cases are linked to the index case, so the risk is still there. Our fingers are crossed.” | “We are not surprised by this,” Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, the health minister, said in a telephone interview. “There may be a few more. All these cases are linked to the index case, so the risk is still there. Our fingers are crossed.” |
| He added that he would be more upset if the disease had appeared in someone not linked to Mr. Sawyer or if one of the secondhand cases had passed it on. | He added that he would be more upset if the disease had appeared in someone not linked to Mr. Sawyer or if one of the secondhand cases had passed it on. |
| Twelve people who had contact with Mr. Sawyer, in the hospital or in the car that took him there, have fallen ill. Two doctors, two nurses and the driver have died. | Twelve people who had contact with Mr. Sawyer, in the hospital or in the car that took him there, have fallen ill. Two doctors, two nurses and the driver have died. |
| The dead health workers’ spouses, a man and a woman, are now being treated, said Dan Nwomeh, a Health Ministry spokesman. | The dead health workers’ spouses, a man and a woman, are now being treated, said Dan Nwomeh, a Health Ministry spokesman. |
| Five others have been treated and released. | Five others have been treated and released. |
| Mr. Sawyer apparently caught the disease from his sister, Princess, who died July 7 in a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. | Mr. Sawyer apparently caught the disease from his sister, Princess, who died July 7 in a hospital in Monrovia, Liberia. |
| As of Friday, the World Health Organization reported 2,615 confirmed or suspected cases of the virus in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, with 1,427 deaths. | As of Friday, the World Health Organization reported 2,615 confirmed or suspected cases of the virus in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, with 1,427 deaths. |
| Nigeria’s containment strategy should still be considered successful, Dr. Chukwu said, emphasizing that all of the known cases were in one city, Lagos, and that all of the known contacts of every case were under constant observation. | Nigeria’s containment strategy should still be considered successful, Dr. Chukwu said, emphasizing that all of the known cases were in one city, Lagos, and that all of the known contacts of every case were under constant observation. |
| With help from the United States, he added, Nigeria was improving its airport screening. It has been using hand-held devices to check the temperatures of arriving passengers, but the United States is supplying thermal imaging cameras that will allow more people to be checked at once as they walk by. | With help from the United States, he added, Nigeria was improving its airport screening. It has been using hand-held devices to check the temperatures of arriving passengers, but the United States is supplying thermal imaging cameras that will allow more people to be checked at once as they walk by. |
| “People should feel free to visit Nigeria,” he said. | “People should feel free to visit Nigeria,” he said. |
| The W.H.O. has not suggested any travel restrictions on Nigeria. | The W.H.O. has not suggested any travel restrictions on Nigeria. |