The Nigerian government has confirmed another coronavirus (COVID-19) case in Lagos State. Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, who made the disclosure at a press conference in Edo State on Monday said the patient is a Nigerian who had contact with the Italian citizen who tested positive to the virus.
He stated that the patient, who has been in isolation is now under quarantine.
Ehanire, while calling for calm, assured Nigerians that the situation is under control.
He said, ”On 8th March 2020, scientists confirmed the presence of coronavirus in one of the contacts.
”It is my duty, therefore, to announce a new case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria.
”The newly confirmed case is an Ogun State contact of the index case, but he has no significant clinical symptoms. This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria today to two.
”Since the beginning of the outbreak in China and subsequent spread to other countries, one of the important response strategies at the containment stage, has been to identify all contacts, ensure their strict isolation and to follow up daily with checks for any symptoms of the disease.
”Following recent experience from other countries and evidence from newly published studies on non-symptomatic infections, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, advised that samples should be taken from all contacts of the index case for testing. It is in this process that this new case was detected.
”I repeat that the newly confirmed case in Nigeria is not a new importation, but a contact of the Index case, who has since been in isolation and was under clinical follow-up.
”He presently does not have any clinical symptoms, is comfortable and in care at Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos.
”All other contacts of the index case in Ogun and Lagos will remain in isolation and testing will be carried out on those not yet tested, including some in other states.” he added.
Nigeria recorded its first case on February 27.
Almost 110,000 people worldwide have been infected and more than 3,000, mostly in China and Italy have died.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK