Passengers from Spain, Germany, and France are to undergo secondary screening at Nigeria’s ports of entry self-isolate for 14 days, the Federal Government has said.
These were parts of the measures put in place by the government because of the high-index and widespread community transmission of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in those countries.
Currently, Spain has the fourth-highest number of confirmed cases of the virus at 9,428 and the total death of 335 people. Germany and France have confirmed cases of 6,924 and 5,423 respectively, with 14 and 127 deaths recorded.
The Federal Government had earlier placed passengers coming into the country from China, Japan, Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea on the ‘screening watch-list’ before it added Germany, Spain, and France to the list.
Speaking at the daily briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adeleke Mamora, explained that Nigeria had to review its case definition following the declaration of COVID-19 as pandemic and it increasing spread across countries.
Mamora said: “Despite the fact that we have not recorded the 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 travelers that fit our case definition and improve our surveillance, detection and risk communications.
“Following the declaration of a pandemic and increasing spread in countries, we carried out a review of our case definition. 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, 8 countries are in our priority lists which are – 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 have been no deaths.
“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.
“The multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Led by NCDC continues to coordinate national response activities.
“NCDC has developed guidance for mass gatherings. We have not advised against any closures or cancellations of large events. However, organizers must ensure that appropriate measures are in place such as temperature scanners, hand washing facilities, etc.
“In Interim case management guideline has been developed and disseminated to health workers. We are training health workers from all states, in stages. This has been completed in Lagos and Ogun.
“Citizens are advised to discourage the spread of misinformation that causes fear and panic. This continues to increase. Please only rely on information shared through the official channels of the Federal Ministry of Health, NCDC or State Ministry of Health”.
On the suspected case of the coronavirus in Enugu state, Mamora said: “In Enugu, a woman in her seventies returned from the UK and had symptoms of fever and mild respiratory illness.
“Her sample was collected for laboratory diagnosis and tested negative for COVID-19. Therefore, as of the 15th of March 2020, Nigeria has recorded two confirmed cases of COVID-19. One case is now negative and has been discharged from the hospital”.
The minister admonished Nigerians to steer clear from misinformation and disinformation, explaining that “claims that the COVID-19 is resistant to Africa blood is not true”.
He also advised Nigerians to embrace the cashless policy introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as the virus could be contracted through currency notes money and handsets.
“A Nigerian Doctor based in Italy has just died of the virus in Canada. So, we should not be ignorant of the fact that there are lots of ‘knowns and unknowns’ about the virus. Prevention is better than cure and obedience is better than sacrifice,” he said.
Mamora advised that handsets should be wiped as much as possible and that people should not be tired of washing their hands regularly.
As at March 13, no fewer than 132, 000 cases of COVID-19 had been reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported from 123 countries and territories.
According to WHO, 5,000 people have lost their lives to the virus.
The Director-General, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said: “We are working across the board from port surveillance to testing in our laboratories and we are improving on our testing capacity daily. New guidelines are being developed and updated so we need the media to be part of the response because it is a collective responsibility.”