Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, the senior consultant endocrinologist who became infected with the deadly Ebola virus while treating the Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, died Tuesday, medical authorities said.
Ms. Adadevoh died in an isolation facility of the Mainland Hospital, Lagos, bringing to five the number of Nigerians killed by the highly contagious virus.
Her death followed those of Mr. Sawyer, two nurses, and a protocol officer for ECOWAS who attended to Mr. Sawyer as he arrived the Lagos airport.
All of Nigeria’s fatalities are those who had contact with Mr. Sawyer, the man who brought Ebola to the country.
The Federal Health Ministry of Health confirmed in a statement Tuesday that a “female Nigerian doctor has died at the Ebola Emergency Treatment Centre in Lagos”.
The statement by Dan Nwomeh, spokesperson for the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, did not identify Ms. Adadevoh, beyond stating that the victim was one of the primary contacts with Mr. Sawyer, and the most senior doctor who participated in treating the Liberian.
The description fits Ms Adadevoh, who was erroneously reported to have recovered and discharged a few days ago.
Her cousin, Kwami Adadevoh, tweeted shortly afterwards saying, ” I’d like to thank you all for your prayers. Sadly my darling cousin has been called home. She has finished her course and now rests with God.”
Condolences immediately began to pour in torrents.
While Nigeria has recorded some successes in the fight against Ebola– five people infected with the virus recovered– the country has also suffered heavy losses to the virus within two weeks.
The death of Ms. Adadevoh, like the nurses, would be deeply heart-breaking given her sacrifice to treat Mr. Sawyer, and an unsuccessful attempt by the Nigerian government to have her treated with Zmapp, the experimental drug used by the United States to treat two of its doctors who contracted Ebola in Liberia.
The Americans turned down the request saying the drug was not yet available in enough quantity and that African nations needed to adopt alternative strategies to combat the virus.
The manufacturing firm of Zmapp said last week they had run out of stock of the drug.
Sources say Dr. Ameyo died Tuesday afternoon after nearly a week in coma.
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