Nigeria reportedly tackled Ebola through isolation, rehydration of infected patients

As the World Health Organisation declared Nigeria an Ebola-free nation, doctors who survived the deadly disease in the African country attributed the success to heavy doses of fluids.

According to News.com.au, in its fight against Ebola, Nigeria managed to contain the disease with just 20 cases in the end, including eight deaths, a lower death rate than the 70 per cent seen elsewhere across the stricken region.

Those exposed to the virus were made to drink lots of fluids in order to keep them rehydrated and counter the effects of vomiting, diarrhoea and other symptoms.

Strong tracking and isolation of people affected by the deadly virus along with proper hydration is credited for the subsequent drop in the number of Ebola cases in Nigeria.

A surviving doctor, Adaora Igonoh, spoke of her ordeal and how she coped with the illness by drinking at least five litres (1.3 gallons) of the solution every day for five or six days.

Igonoh said she had to mentally tell herself that she needed to drink the fluid despite its bad taste and difficulty in swallowing- which was due to sore throat.

The report added that some 9,000 people have been infected with Ebola, and about 4,500 have died, mostly in hard-hit Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia , with the number of cases expected to increase exponentially in the coming weeks.

—ANI