Efforts to locate or trace persons who may have had any contact with the third coronavirus case are currently in motion. Lagos State Ministry of Health has started tracking the passengers of British Airways flight 75, which arrived Lagos on March 13 with the third case of coronavirus.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, advised such persons to self-isolate for 14 days. He also offered hotlines that could be called by the passengers on the flight so as to start the process of treatment if symptoms occur or if tested positive.
“Breaking! #COVID19Lagos Updates, If you are a passenger on flight BA 75 that arrived in Lagos on 13th March 2020, stay at home and isolate yourself for 14 days.
“Call @LSMOH hotlines now; 08000corona, 08023169485, 08033565529, 08052817243, 08028971864, 08059758886, 08035387653,” the tweet read.
Nairametrics had earlier on Tuesday reported that another case of the coronavirus pandemic has been confirmed in Lagos. The carrier of the virus, who is reportedly an independent one and not connected with the index case, is a 30-year-old Nigerian female who returned from the United Kingdom on Friday, 13 March 2020, and developed symptoms during her 14-day self-isolation.
Breaking! #COVID19Lagos Updates
If you are a passenger on flight BA 75 that arrived in Lagos on 13th March, 2020, stay at home and isolate yourself for 14 days.
Call @LSMOH hotlines now; 08000corona, 08023169485,
08033565529,
08052817243, 08028971864, 08059758886, 08035387653 pic.twitter.com/TIzkV3z0U0— Prof. Akin Abayomi (@ProfAkinAbayomi) March 17, 2020
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also tweeted saying it would continue to support the ministry in the response.
“The National Emergency Operations Centre continues to support @LSMOH in the response. The State has begun contact tracing to identify contacts of the case since her return to #Nigeria. We continue to assess the #COVID19Nigeria situation & review national response accordingly,” it said.
While the NCDC disclosed that the coronavirus index case has been released from the isolation centre, it was made known that the Italian is still potentially contagious and until he is fully recovered he would still be watched. The NCDC also pointed out that it will sustain its communication with Nigerians and continue to provide the public with regular updates on the situation.