28th February, 2020
The Lagos State government said it has begun a massive manhunt for all the people who had made a contact with Italian now in isolation in Lagos, for testing positive for coronavirus.
The commissioner for health, Professor Akin Abayomi said the government is looking for all the contacts of the patient, since he arrived in Nigeria.
“Please, be reminded that most people who become infected may experience only a mild illness and recover easily, but it can be more severe in others, particularly the elderly”, the commissioner said.
The Lagos Government said it is not alone in the task of containing the virus, as it is working in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group, led by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Government.
“We have immediately activated the State Emergency Operations Centre to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.
“We wish to assure all Lagosians and Nigerians that we have been strengthening our preparedness since the first confirmation of cases in China. We will use all the resources made available by the State and the Federal Government to respond to this case”.
The Italian arrived Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit
“He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos,” Abayomi said.