A professor of Epedimiology and Community Health Science, University of Ilorin, Dr Tanimola Akande, said yesterday that Ebola virus, currently ravaging some West African countries, is the most health challenge currently facing the continent.

Prof. Akande, who is the National President, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, said, "according to reports,580 deaths have been recorded out of the 630 cases so far diagnosed in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra-Leone and Ghana".

The university teacher spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State during a lecture he delivered at an awareness campaign on the virus, sponsored by Chairman, LUBCON Group, Alhaji Jani Ibrahim. Ebola, he said, thrives in its natural host of "fruit birth' and it is deadlier than HIV /AIDS, warning that people can easily contract the virus through any contact with an infected person.

"Ebola is a very,very deadly disease,we have been talking about HIV/AIDS, but Ebola is deadlier than HIV/AIDS. It's an African problem. Mostly in Central African Republic", he said.

Prof. Akande said: "Any contact with an infected person is almost a death sentence because the virus has no vaccines, no drugs ,we only give palliative management".

According to him, the virus unlike in animals, presents common malaria symptoms like fever, headache, general body pain and blood. To prevent the outbreak of the disease in Nigeria, Akande urged the people to stop eating bush meat, wash their hands and fruits regularly while health workers should also start wearing protective kits while attending to patients.

Akande's submissions were corroborated by a one-time Clinical Virologist at Texas Surveillance Unit,United States of America, Dr. Olajide Agbede, who also delivered a lecture on the virus. Agbede called for efficient surveillance system that will include mounting a quarantine system for animals and human beings at the borders.

The virologist recommended that persons, animal products, fertilisers and animal dungs from countries where cases of Ebola had been recorded, should be screened at the point of entry into Nigeria.

In his remarks, Jani said the awareness programme was organised to sensitize Nigerians on the need to take precautions and prevent the spread of the virus into the country.

Jani said he was particularly moved by the recorded case in Ghana where he said the company has facilities, noting that Nigerians are the most travelled people in West Africa.