COVID-19: FG commences contact tracing of confirmed case

The Federal Government has
commenced contact tracing of the first case of reported Coronavirus in
the country to monitor the health of people who travelled with the
patient to prevent the spread.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie
Ehanire, said this while answering questions from newsmen on Friday in
Abuja on measures put in place to prevent the spread of the disease.
Ehanire had earlier confirmed that an Italian citizen who works in
Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday had
tested positive to the virus.
He assured Nigerians that the government was working to prevent the spread of the virus.
He said: “I am assuring Nigerians that all measures have been taken to contain and control the spread of the virus.
“It happened in Lagos.
“The state Commissioner was the first we were in touch with.
“I know the capability of Lagos State.
“The state has a lot of experience on Ebola so they will be able to handle the case.
“Also, we have sent a team from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to support the state.
“The relief is that the patient is not showing very serious symptoms
and other relief is that as far as statistics is concerned, 97 per cent
of the case that have COVID-19 do recover.
“The terrible thing about it is that it spreads easily and people can get it without knowing.”
According to Ehanire, the reported case is not as a result of failure
to screen at the airports, but the nature of the virus, which may not
present symptoms at that period of screening.
He commended the Lagos
State Government for handling the case as the patient was quickly
referred to reference laboratory under controlled transportation and the
driver was fully kitted.
The minister said the Federal Government
had released N620 million to NCDC for contain the virus, and N71 million
to port health service.
He said: “We are doing everything possible
to prevent the spread because we did not have the scope of the virus as
reported by scientists.
“We have been preparing hard and working
with World Health Organisation and the agency has warned that all
countries should brace up on level of preparedness.
“The government
will follow the WHO guideline of screening at the airport, isolation and
questioning those with travel history to countries with outbreak.”
The minister, however, emphasised that the Government of Nigeria,
through the Federal Ministry of Health, had been strengthening measures
to ensure that an outbreak in Nigeria was controlled and contained
quickly.
Ehanire advised all Nigerians to take care of their health
and maintain hand and respiratory hygiene to protect themselves and
others, including their own families, following outlined precautions.
He said: “Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water, and use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
“Maintain at least 1.5 metres (5 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
“Persons with persistent cough or sneezing should stay home or keep a social distance but not mix in crowd.
“Make sure you and people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene,
meaning cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or tissue or into
your sleeve at the bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then
dispose of the used tissue immediately.
“Stay home if you feel unwell with symptoms like fever, cough and difficulty in breathing.
“Please call NCDC toll free number, which is available day and night for guidance: 0800 970 0000-0010.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the case of the Italian in
Nigeria is the third reported case of COVID-19 in Africa after Egypt and
Algeria.