The Minister disclosed that contact tracing and monitoring in respect of the coronavirus index case presently receiving treatment in Lagos, has been diligently and conscientiously pursued since 27 February when the case was first diagnosed.
“As you know, 40 persons in Ogun and 20 in Lagos are under isolation and have remained free of any symptoms since,” he said.
“Nevertheless, the Federal Ministry of Health, following best practice, decided to test these persons for possible presence of coronavirus in their systems. 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.”
He explained that since 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.
“It is in this process that this new case was detected.”
Speaking on the case reported in the US of Nigerian origin, he said: “We are in touch with colleagues at the US Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta and here in Abuja.”
“The case visited Lagos in February 2020. However, given the timelines between the time he was in Nigeria briefly and when he became ill, the likelihood that he was infected in Lagos is very low.”
He reiterated that the Federal Ministry of Health, and Lagos and Ogun States Health ministries have assured citizens of government’s commitment to do all needed to control spread of the outbreak.
According to him, the National Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) in Abuja has continued to work closely with Lagos and Ogun State EOCs to coordinate response activities since the first case was confirmed in Nigeria on 27th of February 2020.
Abeeb Alawiye formerly works with The ICIR as a Reporter/Social Media officer. Now work as a Senior Journalist with BBC News Yoruba. You can shoot him an email via [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @habsonfloww