Nigeria confirms second case of Coronavirus
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on Monday 9th March 2020 announced a newly confirmed case of coronavirus in Nigeria.
According to him, the newly confirmed case is an Ogun State contact of the index case, but he has no significant clinical symptoms. This, he said, brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria to two.
The Minister, while briefing the Press 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”.
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. “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”.
He added 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”.
He said 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. 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 contact”.
