A third Ebola casualty was yesterday confirmed in Nigeria when the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that a staff member of its Lagos Liaison Office, Mr. Jatto Asihu Abdulqudir, had been felled by the disease.

ECOWAS in a statement issued in Lagos disclosed that Abdulqudir, a 36-year-old Protocol Assistant, was among those who assisted to a regional meeting, the Liberian delegate, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, who imported the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into Nigeria and died at a Lagos hospital on July 25.

One of the nurses who treated Mr. Sawyer has since died of the disease while ten cases of people with the symptons have been confirmed by Nigerian authorities.

“The Management of the Commission wishes to commiserate with Mr. Abdulqudir’s family and colleagues and prays for the repose of his soul,” ECOWAS said in the statement.

It disclosed that “before this sad event, the Commission working in collaboration with Nigerian health authorities, had disinfected all the facilities of the ECOWAS Lagos Liaison Office as part of precautionary measures to safeguard the health, safety and security of staff members, and will continue to monitor the situation.

“Management has also intensified awareness campaign among staff on the deadly virus and uses this opportunity to invoke the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance.”

The sub-regional body reassured “staff of all Community Institutions all over the entire region that it is taking all necessary steps to guarantee their health and safety.

“Furthermore, Management enjoins all staff members and community citizens in general to intensify the observance of personal hygiene. They should also report any suspected case to health facilities and seek medical advice or attention for the effective containment and defeat of the Ebola disease.”

The statement said that “on the directive of regional leaders, ECOWAS has already set up a Solidarity Fund to fight the disease and has solicited the support contribution of Member States and development partners to the Fund to rid the region of the virus.”

The ECOWAS Commission also reiterated its continued commitment to support Member States in confronting EVD, which is currently ravaging some West African countries, especially Liberia and Sierra Leone.

•Photo shows the evacuation of an Ebola casualty.

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