The body of the first victim of Ebola Virus Disease
in Nigeria, who died in Lagos on Friday, has been
cremated. Details of the cremation were not
available at press time but Sunday Vanguard
gathered
that the eveny was witnessed by officials of the Lagos
State Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for
Disease Control, NCDC, led by its Project Director,
Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, among others.
The decision to cremate the body of the victim, it was
further gathered, may not be unconnected with the
deadly nature of the Ebola Virus which is known to be
easily transmissible from human to human during
handling of corpses of victims.
The World Health Organisation recommends that in
communities where there is an outbreak of Ebola,
appropriate containment measures including burial
of the dead should be properly handled.
While stating that people who die from Ebola should
be promptly and safely buried, WHO? Notes that
cremation, which is the application of high
temperature to reduce bodies to basic chemical
components (ashes)? Is ideal for safe disposal of
bodies of persons who die during outbreaks of highly
infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus in order to
minimise further transmission.
In 2013 the Lagos State Government introduced its
Voluntary Cremation Law under which a person may
signify interest to be cremated at death or a
deceased's family members who must attain the age
of 18 years, can decide to have the corpse cremated.
Under the law the state government can also cremate
unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of
time and the ashes disposed after a 14-day notice
with approval of the Commissioner for Health.
in Nigeria, who died in Lagos on Friday, has been
cremated. Details of the cremation were not
available at press time but Sunday Vanguard
gathered
that the eveny was witnessed by officials of the Lagos
State Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for
Disease Control, NCDC, led by its Project Director,
Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, among others.
The decision to cremate the body of the victim, it was
further gathered, may not be unconnected with the
deadly nature of the Ebola Virus which is known to be
easily transmissible from human to human during
handling of corpses of victims.
The World Health Organisation recommends that in
communities where there is an outbreak of Ebola,
appropriate containment measures including burial
of the dead should be properly handled.
While stating that people who die from Ebola should
be promptly and safely buried, WHO? Notes that
cremation, which is the application of high
temperature to reduce bodies to basic chemical
components (ashes)? Is ideal for safe disposal of
bodies of persons who die during outbreaks of highly
infectious diseases such as Ebola Virus in order to
minimise further transmission.
In 2013 the Lagos State Government introduced its
Voluntary Cremation Law under which a person may
signify interest to be cremated at death or a
deceased's family members who must attain the age
of 18 years, can decide to have the corpse cremated.
Under the law the state government can also cremate
unclaimed corpses in its mortuaries after a period of
time and the ashes disposed after a 14-day notice
with approval of the Commissioner for Health.
