6 confirmed cases now being managed in Lagos – Abayomi

By Chioma Obinna,

With the confirmation of five new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the Lagos state government may consider halting Friday and Sunday services in the state, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Gbenga Omotosho has said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi has explained that out of the eight confirmed cases in the country, six cases were being managed at the State’s Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, Yaba.

Speaking at the briefing in Lagos, said the state government will advise religious leaders to stop Fridays and Sundays services.

Omotosho said the religious leaders will be advised to shut down services in the interest of the public.

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“We are all aware that the Federal Government asked NYSC to shut down camps; yesterday the Commissioner for Home Affairs said today (Wednesday) there will be a meeting religious leaders where they will be counselled on how to handle this matter and it is going to be suggested to them to maybe stop Friday and Sunday services wherever we have large gatherings.

“Going by the new development I am sure they will be advised to shut down the services in the interest of the public and all of us. I am sure they are going to comply,” Omotosho said.

Abayomi who disclosed this while giving an update on the coronavirus disease in Lagos said the four samples received Monday in Lagos tested positive to the disease.

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According to him, the state has in admission a 30-year-old that travelled from the UK to Nigeria and tested positive.

Stating that the State Officials have been directed to continue to monitor members of patient’s family, he said: “Her family who stayed with her all tested negative, they have been discharged. They have returned home with the clear instruction to embark on self-isolation and we are monitoring them. We have confidence in that family because prior to now they have complied with all our instructions. .

“Monday, we received four samples that tested positive. The first two samples belong to a Nigerian mother and her six-week-old baby; they had been in the United States of America and returned to Lagos on March 8 via Virgin Atlantic flight, VS 411. The mother developed the symptoms; mother and child were tested and were positive. They are on admission at Yaba Mainland Hospital.

“We have an American citizen who crossed into Nigeria on March 13 via Nigeria/Benin republic land border, he also was tested yesterday and result shows that he is positive. He will be admitted at the Mainland Hospital.

“We also have a Nigeria male that returned from the United Kingdom on March 13 via Virgin Atlantic VS 411, he was tested positive too. We are in the process of admitting him at the Mainland Hospital, Yaba.”

Abayomi further disclosed that contact tracing was ongoing and it would be extended to those who may have had contact with the patients that tested positive.

He said, “Each of these categories has initiated what we call line listing or contact tracing and that process is ongoing. We are first starting with members of their families and extending it to any possible person they may have come in contact with which includes identifying the airline manifests of those airline travellers so that we can initiate contact with passengers on that flight and ask them to exercise self-isolation and report to us if there are any symptoms.”

Vanguard News