The Lagos State Ministry of Health has confirmed the first case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
Professor Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, revealed the information in a statement around 1.40 am on Friday, 28th February 2020. He said the government had reported it to the Federal Ministry of Health. This is the first case reported in Nigeria since the outbreak in China in January 2020.
The case is of an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy, for a brief business visit.
The statement read partly:
“He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.”
See the full statement below:
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Coronavirus has killed nearly 3,000 people and infected over 80,000 globally. Most of the victims are in mainland China.
The hemorrhagic disease was first diagnosed in the Chinese city of Wuhan, with a population of 11 million residents, and has spread to 12 countries since that time. Sporting events and summits cancelled or rescheduled as the disease ravages the world.
The coronavirus is airborne and symptoms begin to manifest after 14 days. Others can contract the disease before symptoms begin to manifest.
Precautions include regular hand washing, using a hand sanitizer. Also, use a nose mask and avoiding contact or proximity with infected persons. For now, it will be best to stick with precautionary measures and not panic.
Nigerians should also desist from spreading false and unverified information as regards the virus. The Federal Ministry of Health is already working round the clock to curtail its spread.
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