Ghana’s Ministry of Health is awaiting the results of blood samples of a 12 year old girl suspected to have been killed by the deadly Ebola virus. The Noguchi Memorial Institute is carrying out the test to confirm if Ghana has recorded its first case of the disease.
Sources at the Health Ministry have told Ultimate Radio the results should be ready by tomorrow. The 12-year-old girl is believed to have contracted the infection from Mali which has also recorded some cases.
According to sources, she first reported the disease at the Ejisu Government Hospital in the Ashanti Region, and was later referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where she died three days ago.
She reportedly died of a bleeding condition, which is a symptom of Ebola. Ultimate Radio can also report that the Health Minister and other stakeholders are in a meeting to find ways of avoiding a spread if the results turn out to be positive.
The deadly flesh-eating disease has already killed dozens of people in neighboring Guinea. Cases have also been reported in Liberia and lately Mali. Over 70 people have died so far in Guinea alone since the outbreak begun a little over a month ago.
There is no known cure or vaccine for the disease. It is spread by close personal contact with people who are infected and kills between 25% and 90% of victims. Symptoms include internal and external bleeding, diarrhoea and vomiting.
-Ultimate radio, Kumasi
