Benin Republic, Nigeria’s neighbour, has reported its first case of Ebola. The suspected victim is however a Nigerian. He is now receiving treatment in a hospital in Cotonou, the seat of government.
Health Minister Dorothée Gazard, an associate professor of parasitology and mycology, said on state television on Thursday, that a sample of of the Nigerian blood has been sent to Senegal for testing, .
The case is unconfirmed but Gazard’s announcement triggered widespread fears in the political capital Cotonou. Many people said they would stock up on food and stop eating at popular roadside food stalls to avoid possible infection, witnesses said.
Over 900 people have died in West Africa since the outbreak of the virus early this year.