An Italian man who arrived in Nigeria
three days ago has become the African country's first case of
coronavirus, the health minister said on Friday, as infections
spread rapidly worldwide.
The Health Ministry said on Twitter that the case was in the
state of Lagos, home to the southwestern commercial capital of
the same name. Lagos is the biggest city in Africa's most
populous country, with a population of about 20 million.
"The case...is the first case to be reported in Nigeria
since the beginning of the outbreak in China in January," the
health ministry said in its post, adding
that the infection was confirmed on Thursday.
The health minister Osagie Ehanire, in a statement, said the
case was an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned
from Milan, Italy to Lagos February 25.
His infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of
the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory
Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
"The patient is clinically stable, with no serious
symptoms," said the minister, adding that he was being treated
at a hospital in the Lagos district of Yaba.
"We have already started working to identify all the
contacts of the patient, since he entered Nigeria," said
Ehanire.
The minister said authorities have been strengthening
measures to ensure an outbreak in Nigeria is controlled and
contained quickly.
There is no cure for the coronavirus, which can lead to
pneumonia, and a vaccine may take up to 18 months to develop.
Radical quarantining measures have helped slow the rate of
transmission in China of the virus, which can cause pneumonia,
but it is picking up pace outside China.
Ehanire said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
has activated its national Emergency Operations Centre and will
work closely with Lagos State Health authorities to respond to
this case and implement firm control measures.
A presidency spokesman did not immediately respond to phone
calls and text messages seeking comment.
Hopes that the virus would be contained to China vanished on
Friday as infections spread, with countries beginning to
stockpile medical equipment and investors taking flight in
expectation of a global recession.
The virus has so far caused nearly 80 000 infections and
almost 2 800 deaths, according official Chinese figures. It has
spread to another 46 countries, where about 3 700 cases and 57
deaths have been reported, according to the WHO.