TheCable

Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian man suspected to have imported the deadly Ebola virus into Lagos, is dead.

On Thursday, confirmation of the outbreak of the virus in Lagos by the Lagos state ministry of health spawned panic in the state.

However, an official of First Consultant Medical Centre, Obalende, Lagos, where the suspect was undergoing treatment, confirmed to TheCable on Friday that the Liberian died on Thursday night.

“He started receiving treatment when he was admitted on Sunday. The patient had all the symptoms of Ebola and had diarrhea through out the night, which is one other major symptom,” the official said.

“Consultants to the federal ministry of health were called in to attend to him and results of the various tests conducted pointed at Ebola.

“He was initially responding to treatment, but plans were made to fly him back to his country when the situation worsened.”

The hospital official assuaged public concerns over the safety of Lagos residents, saying the hospital took adequate measures to prevent the virus from spreading during the period of the deceased’s admission at the hospital.

Sawyer, an official of the Liberian ministry of finance, arrived in Nigeria on Sunday for a conference.