Nigerian Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus Now Negative
This was disclosed by the Nigerian Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire while giving a live update on the Coronavirus disease in Nigeria.
The patient, an Ogun state contact of the index case, had been isolated after testing positive for the Coronavirus disease four days ago. The patient was one of the 40 staff of Lafarge Cement taken in immediately the index case was discovered.
Osagie Ehanire also said the index case, an Italian who is receiving treatment in Lagos, would also be discharged next week.
He said, “Between January 7 and March 12, 2020, a total of 42 people who met our case definition have been screened for COVID 19 in Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Yobe, Rivers and Kano states, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“40 tested negative and two were confirmed positive. These two are the index case and a contact with the index case. No death has been recorded.”
Fielding questions from pressmen as to why no travel restriction had been placed in Nigeria, Osagie Ehanire noted that every country takes the measures that suit its current situation, but Nigeria is still safe and would not need extreme measures at the moment.
“There’s already a lot of self-restriction going on. There is a reduction in passenger movement, even without banning anybody. In our case, we have looked at the economic impact of all of these, as other countries are doing before taking decisions.
“The Federal Government has set up a committee to monitor the impact, to determine the benefits, costs and losses. As far as we are concerned, the risks we have here are very low and we are monitoring it very closely,” he said.
