One of the nurses that attended to the Liberian Ebola victim, Patrick Sawyer, is dead.

The Nigerian Health Minister, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has confirmed the death of the second Ebola victim. “Yesterday, 5th August, 2014, the first known Nigerian to die of the Ebola Virus Disease EVD was recorded and she was one of the nurses that attended to the Liberian

“Nigeria has now recorded 7 confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVB).” Chukwu said.

Those who have died include the “index patient” – Patrick who got the virus from his sister and a nurse who treated him.

“All the Nigerians diagnosed with EBV were primary contacts” of Patrick Sawyer, the minister added.

She is the first known Nigerian to die of the virus.

Sawyer died on July 25, few days after his arrival in the country.

“The other five cases are currently being treated at the isolation ward in Lagos.”

He said all the Nigerians diagnosed with Ebola were primary contacts of the index case ─ the late Sawyer.

“The 24/7 emergency operations centre will be fully functional tomorrow. It will be headed by Dr Faisal Shuaibu as the incident manager.

“He will later today lead a six-man inter-agency team drawn from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Lagos to complete the setting up of the centre,” he added.