Coronavirus: no such case in Lagos– State Ministry of Health confirms

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Nigeria has not recorded any case of coronavirus, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has said.

The health agency in a statement on Saturday said it is aware of the circulating news of a coronavirus case in Lagos.

It, however, debunked the new as untrue saying there has been no reported or suspected case of the disease in the country as at when the statement was being issued.

The agency said the individual had truly arrived the country from China last week but he had went on a routine medical check-up as advised by his employers as soon as he got back to Nigeria.

“This individual returned from China last week and went for a routine medical check as requested by his employers. He showed no symptoms of illness and has not been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus ”.

NCDC said it has an agreed national case definition to identify suspected cases and established a laboratory testing platform to test samples from patients that meets this case definition.

“We urge members of the public to disregard rumours and discourage further spread. NCDC, port health service and state epidemiologist are aware of the process of case identification and confirmation. We will investigate every suspect case to ensure Nigerians are safe.

Though no case has been reported, NCDC advised Nigerians to take necessary precautions while travelling or returning to the country.

Those who had travelled from China to Nigeria in the last 14 days are also advised to report immediately to NCDC through the existing communication centres, if they feel sick.

Similarly, the Lagos State Ministry of Health said there is no confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.

Akin Abayomi, the commissioner for health, in a series of tweets Saturday, said the suspected carrier of the infection arrived Nigeria from China on Wednesday and submitted himself for quarantine.

“The subject in question is an adult male Nigerian who arrived from China 4 days ago,” the commissioner said.

“He was in Shanghai throughout his stay in China and during his stay he did not have any contact with anyone who was ill or from Wuhan region.”

The commissioner said the report from the epidemiology officers and the doctor that attended to the subject at the hospital in Lekki indicated that he is in perfect health with no symptoms of the virus.

“He is, therefore, clinically not a suspected case of nCoV as he is not exhibiting any symptoms. Nevertheless we will continue to monitor his welfare till the end of his self quarantine period,” the ministry said.

Mr Abayomi had earlier said that the state government was working with the Chinese embassy in Nigeria to prevent the entry of coronavirus into the state.