15th February, 2020
Credit: Sky News
The Federal Government on Friday revealed that two cases of coronavirus are undergoing tests in the country.
While giving update on the coronavirus in Abuja, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said “Last night (Thursday night), we had two cases and tests are going on at the moment. As soon as they are completed, it will be announced. If a person returns to the country, say within 20 or 30 days, there is no point wasting reagents to test such a person.
“For other diseases, we usually advise people to go to the hospitals to get tested, but for suspected cases of coronavirus, patients are advised to simply put a call through to us, we will come to the patient because going to the hospital can amplify the disease if it is found to be positive.”
Meanwhile, Egypt’s health ministry on Friday announced the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Africa.
The ministry disclosed in a statement, without specifying the nationality.
“The ministry has taken preventative measures and is monitoring the patient, who is stable,” the health ministry spokesman, Khaled Megahed, said.
Egyptian authorities had notified the World Health Organisation and the patient had been placed in isolation in the hospital.