The Federal Government has confirmed four additional cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to twelve.
The Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire disclosed this today, while addressing journalists at the Federal Ministry of Health Headquarters, Abuja. The four additional cases were confirmed on March 19, 2020 in Lagos State. Out of the twelve confirmed cases, nine were reported in Lagos, two in Ogun and one in Ekiti.
“Nigeria is therefore experiencing an influx of imported COVID-19 case by travellers including returning Nigerians. This emphasizes the importance of self-isolation for a minimum of fourteen days even if you feel well”, the Minister said. He also pointed out that non-compliance puts family, friends and the public at risk. Self-isolation of travellers from high risk countries will be supervised by the Port Health Services and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Speaking further, Dr. Ehanire stated that eight out of the twelve cases are travellers from Italy, the UK, the US and France. Three cases are contacts of imported cases and one case has no travel history in the last one month, but may have met with foreign visitors. He stated that contact tracing is going on to identify all persons who had been in contact with confirmed cases. About 1,300 contacts had been traced so far. While the NCDC is working closely with Lagos, Ogun and Ekiti State Governments to carry out contact tracing, he urged all States, Local Government, Law Enforcement Authorities and Community Leaders to give full cooperation to investigations.
Following the increasing spread of COVID-19 and its declaration by WHO as pandemic, Nigeria has scaled up its response efforts to detect and isolate new cases as early as possible to interrupt or reduce transmission of infections. As part of its response strategy, a ban has been placed on entry for travellers from fifteen known high-risk countries (including the two newly added ones- Austria and Sweden). Also, for better control of new arrivals, international travels to Nigeria has been temporarily limited to only two international airports: Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while other airports will be closed to international traffic. “These decisions will be reviewed as situation demands”, he added.
He hinted that the original case is clinically stable and has improved greatly, with his first negative test recorded yesterday and will be discharged if his next test is negative, in line with the Case Management Protocol. He further confirmed that, one case has been discharged from the hospital, the other cases are clinically stable with mild symptoms”.
The Minister disclosed that there are on-going collaborations between the Federal Ministry of Health, Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure surveillance at land and sea borders. The Multi-sectorial Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) led by NCDC continues to coordinate national response activities and various States have implemented measures to shut down schools and large gatherings.