My heart goes out to families affected by Ebola – Jim Iyke apologises for errant panic message.

Award winning Nollywood actor Jim Iyke after fleeing Liberia, following a huge scare of the deadly Ebola virus in that country, has apologised for the unnecessary panic message he sent.

The Nollywood actor last week posted a photo on Instagram of himself at the airport in Monrovia, capital of Liberia, about to jet off from that country.

According to Jim Iyke, the Ebola pandemic, currently spreading across West Africa, forced him to cut short his business activities in Liberia.

“Monrovia, unfinished biz (business); Leavin(g) tonite (tonight). Nt (Not) ashamed to admit. Tis ish(issue) scares the Jesus outta me. #Ebola!!!!” he posted on Instagram.

The virus is believed to have killed over 800 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in February, according to World Health Organisation records.

The actor later posted a photo having breakfast at a location suspected to be Madrid, Spain saying, “Breakfast; somewhere serene. Glad to be away frm all the madness. Thank u lord 4 everytime u hide me in ur pavilion. #Ikechukwu”.

Following the unnecessary panic Jim Iyke’s comments created, the actor has released a statement to render an apology to families and persons affected by the deadly virus.

“May I humbly apologize if my comments on Ebola – based on fear – were taken out of context. The last thing I wanted to do was to alarm anyone,” he said in statement spotted by Myjoyonline.com.

The Nollywood ‘bad boy’ actor added that: “My heart goes out to all the families who have been affected by the Ebola virus – those who have lost their lives or loved ones, those who are still bravely fighting the disease and all of the communities who are battling to keep the infection under control. You are all in my prayers”.

Reacting to calls he should be screened before entering any country especially before returning to Nigeria, Jim Iyke said he has been subjected to medical checks at each entry point.

He explained that, “As I travel constantly across continents, most recently USA, Senegal, Liberia, Ghana, Gambia, I have been screened where and when necessary along with the other passengers and I believe it is the responsibility of every citizen to be vigilant and help contain the outbreak by following the advice of the local and international medical professionals and government officials”.

Ebola virus disease (EVD) or Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is the human disease caused by the ebola virus. Symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contacting the virus with a fever, throat and muscle pains, and headaches. There is then typically nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point some people begin to have problems with bleeding.

The disease is usually acquired when a person comes into contact with the blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal such as a monkey or fruit bat.