Coronavirus: Nigeria declares eight high-risk countries with widespread community transmission

The federal government, Monday, declared eight high-risk countries with widespread community transmission.

Government said travellers from the affected countries will not only undergo secondary screening at the point of entry but also advised to self-isolate for 14 days on entry.

They are China, Japan, Iran, Italy, Republic of Korea, France, Germany and Spain.

Minister of State for Health, Adeleke Mamora, giving an update on the state of Coronavirus in the country, at a media briefing in Abuja, said government’s action followed the declaration of COVID-19 as pandemic and increasing spread in the affected countries.

He explained that the index case was not only clinically stable and had improved greatly.

The minister said despite the fact that the disease had not claimed any life, Nigeria was still at high risk to it.

Mamora explained that “between January 7 and 15 of March 2020, a total of 48 people who met our case definition have been screened for COVID-19 in eight states – Edo, Lagos, Ogun, FCT, Yobe, Rivers, Kano and Enugu. “

According him, out of the number, 47 tested negative and have been cleared, one was positive (contact of the index case) and one result is pending. There has been no death,” he said.

But he said, “Despite the fact that we have not recorded a confirmed COVID-19 case in the last one week in Nigeria, it is important to remember that we are still at high risk like other countries.”

“We continue to monitor returning travellers that fit our case definition and improve our surveillance, detection and risk communications.

“We have added three new countries to the existing list of five high-risk countries with widespread community transmission.

“These are France, Germany and Spain. Therefore, eight countries are in our priority list China, Japan, Iran, Italy, Republic of Korea, France and Germany.

“Travelers from these eight countries will undertake secondary screening at the point of entry. They are also advised to self-isolate for 14 days on entry

“Between the 7th of January and 15th of March 2020, a total of 48 people who met our case definition have been screened for COVID-19 in eight states – Edo, Lagos, Ogun, FCT, Yobe, Rivers, Kano and Enugu.

“Out of which 47 tested negative and have been cleared, one was positive (contact of the index case) and one result is pending. There has been no death

“The index case is clinically stable and has improved greatly. We look forward to progress early this week, to guide the medical team in discharging him.”

Mamora said the suspected case in Enugu tested negative to the disease.

“In Enugu, a woman in her 705 returned from the UK and had symptoms of fever and mild respiratory illness. Her sample was collected for laboratory diagnosis and tested negative for COVlD-19 Therefore, as at the 15th of March 2020, Nigeria has recorded two confirmed cases of COVID19. One case is now negative and has been discharged from the hospital,” he said.