Lagos, Ogun identify over 100 people who had contact with Coronavirus patient

Commissioner for Health, Lagos state says the index case of Coronavirus in Nigeria is now in a stable condition.

In their bid to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, Lagos and Ogun State governments have identified at least 100 people, who had contact with a 44-year-old Italian, who’s the first patient of the disease in Nigeria.

The Italian who works for a vendor that provides services to Lafarge Africa Plc, a cement manufacturing company at Ewekoro, Ogun state reportedly came into the country on Monday, February 24, 2020.

On his arrival, the Italian was said to have spent the night in a hotel around the airport before leaving for Ewekoro on Tuesday morning.

The 44-year-old man, however, tested positive for the virus after falling ill and was thereafter taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.

Mainland Hospital in Yaba where the Italian coronavirus patient was being quarantined before he was moved to a better facility. (Punch) Pulse Nigeria

Following the index case, Ogun state government shut down Lafarge cement plant and quarantined 28 people believed to have had contact with the Italian.

In an interview with Channels TV on Saturday, February 29, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi said over 100 persons who had contact with the Coronavirus patient had been identified.

He said the Italian is now in a stable condition, adding that Ogun and Lagos governments are monitoring the over 100 contacts, Punch reports.

“By Saturday, his symptoms had subsided. He hasn’t developed any respiratory symptoms and we are quite happy about that because if he has respiratory symptoms like coughing and sneezing, it makes the disease more contagious,” he said.

Prof. Akin Abayomi, Commissioner for Health, Lagos state says the index case of Coronavirus in Nigeria is now in a stable condition. [Twitter/@ProfAkinAbayomi] Pulse Nigeria

“It is around 100 people but that number is increasing every minute," Abayomi told Reuters.

In another interview with Arise TV, Abayomi said the hotel room, where the Italian patient lodged on Monday night has been identified.

“We’re going there this morning (Saturday) to decontaminate the room and the entire hotel. We will identify all the people who had contact with him in the hotel,” he said.

3 Chinese men quarantined in Plateau

Meanwhile, Plateau State Government has quarantined three Chinese men over concerns that they may have contracted coronavirus.

The state commissioner of health, Nimkong Ndam confirmed the development saying the men arrived the state from Ethiopia on Friday, February 28, 2020.

He said the Chinese nationals were in the state for mining activities.

Corroborating Ndam, Plateau commissioner for information, Dan Manjang while confirming the development said the Chinese arrived Abuja on Friday and headed for Jos on the same day.