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How much Nigeria lost to Ebola crisis

If the deadly Ebola virus is not contained in Nigeria by December 2014, the nation’s economy may lose a staggering $3.5billion, according to the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane.
Rewane stated this in his firm’s report. He stated that the fear of the disease had affected economic activities significantly and if nothing is done to arrest this development, the country would lose more in revenue to the virus outbreak.
Already, Nigeria has lost about $2billion in the first weeks of the outbreak and could continue like that till December. Only a small part of the Nigerian economy is benefiting from the Ebola scare. These include shop owners selling sanitisers. A larger part are experiencing losses.
According to Rewane, air transport is 0.09 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and the second most used means of transportation after road. Since the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa, several airlines including Arik Air, Asky, British Airways and Emirates have suspended flight operations to and from any of the Ebola affected countries. Saudi Arabia also suspended giving out visas to Muslim pilgrims from West African countries.
Serious screening for Ebola has also begun at several international airports before passengers are allowed to board an airplane. Expectedly, revenues in the aviation sector will plunge downwards, which would affect both the airlines and the support industry (handling companies, oil marketers, catering, duty free shops).
Hospitality and tourism, preliminary information shows, that many hotels and airlines bookings in Lagos have been cancelled by in- bound travellers due to Ebola scare. This is not surprising since India and Greece have openly advised their citizens to avoid non essential travel to Nigeria and other Ebola affected countries. It is estimated that restaurant visits in Lagos have already declined by 50 per cent.

HOW EBOLA VIRUS RAVAGES THE HUMAN BODY
According to medical experts, an Ebola infected person start with feeling a little unwell. Such a person loses appetite, he or she suffers headache, sore throat and generally slightly feverish. The immune system has been attacked, wiping out the T-lymphocyte cells that are crucial to its proper function.
These are the same cells that the AIDS virus (HIV-1) attacks, but Ebola virus kills them far more aggressively. It can take between two and 21 days from initial infection to the first symptoms.
Over the next few days the condition may deteriorate. The body aches all over with chronic abdominal pain. The fever intensifies and the person starts to vomit and develops diarrhoea. In a couple of days and a week, if not treated properly, the situation may reach the crisis point – now the symptoms will either recede or progress to the horrors of what is termed cytokine storm, a development that may plunge the victim into the terminal phase of Ebola virus disease known as haemorrhagic fever.
Cytokine storm releases a torrent of inflammatory molecules into the circulatory system, your own immune system, now completely out of control, attacks every organ in your body. Tiny blood vessels burst everywhere and you slowly bleed to death. The whites of your eyes turn red, your vomit and diarrhoea are now charged with blood and large blood blisters develop under your skin. You are now at the peak of infectiousness as Ebola virus particles, ready to find their next victim, pour out of your body along with your blood.

IF YOU ARE LUCKY, YOU MAY RECOVER
Even though you are feeling much improved, and perhaps even ready to return to work, you will remain infectious for a while. All your bodily fluids will still contain virus. In particular, the virus can be sexually transmitted, especially if you are a man, up to 40 days after recovery.

– FOLUSO SAMUEL

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