The Lagos State Ministry of Health has confirmed its third case of the deadly coronavirus in Lagos, Nigeria. READ ALSO: Actor, Idris Elba, Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Update via the official Twitter handle of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, @LSMOH, revealed that the patient is an independent case not connected with the index case.
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. The test, it was gathered, turned positive for COVID-19.
The Centre said that case is currently being treated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, Yaba, Lagos.
It added that she is clinically stable and is responding to treatment, while contact tracing has started to identify all persons who the patient has been in contact with, since her return to Nigeria.
The NCDC stated that the Federal Government will continue to assess the situation and review the national response accordingly.
Meanwhile, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria, the NCDC, in its interventions, strongly discourage any travel to all affected countries except for essential trips while everyone returning to Nigeria from any country are encouraged to self-isolate for 14-days.
The NCDC also advised that all those returning from countries where there is ongoing high community transmission (over 1,000 cases cumulatively), should self-isolate and they will be actively followed up for 14 days by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Port Health Services.
Furthermore, the Centre advised the continued maintenance of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
It, however, assured that the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health will continue to carry out daily risk assessments of the COVID19 situation, while the National Emergency Operations Centre led by NCDC and supported partners, will continue to support the Lagos State Ministry of Health in its response.
