LASG confirms third case of coronavirus

The Lagos State Ministry of Health has confirmed another case of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Lagos.

The Commissioner for health Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi gave the confirmation in a press briefing.

This case was confirmed on the 16th of March in Lagos State. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 3.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease control, NCDC, the new case is a Nigerian national who returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom on the 13th of March after a brief visit.

On return to Nigeria, the case decided to go into self-isolation and subsequently developed symptoms.

At which point, the case called the NCDC toll-free line to report symptoms. Officials from the Lagos State COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre were dispatched to the case’s home to collect a sample. This was tested and positive for COVID-19.

The case is currently being treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Yaba, Lagos. She is clinically stable and is responding to treatment.

NCDC noted that contact tracing has started in a bid to identify all persons who the patient has been in contact with, since her return to Nigeria.

“It is a totally independent case, separate from that of the index case”.

However the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu in a chat with AriseTV on Tuesday noted, “There’s nothing more pressing on the government’s agenda than the impact of COVID19 Nigeria on the country’s health and economy.

As cases increase around the world, we continue to review our risk of #COVID19 spread to define appropriate response”

“Our strategy in Nigeria is to prevent further spread of COVID19 while advocating for a whole-of-society response. If anything good comes out of this crisis, is the need to invest in national health security. We cannot prepare for war when it has started,” he said.