As the world grapples with the coronavirus epidemic, Nigeria became the first sub-saharan country in Africa to present a confirmed case coronavirus disease (COVID 19) on Thursday.
The patient is from Italy where nearly 500 people are said to have suffered from the ailment whose roots are traced in China.
The Italian citizen works in Nigeria and had just returned from Milan to Lagos on the 25th of February 2020.
He was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, which is part of the Laboratory Network at the Nigeria Center for Disease Control.
By this confirmation, Nigeria becomes the third country in Africa to have a confirmed case of coronavirus aside Egypt and Algeria and first in West Africa.
The Government has started working to identify all the persons who had contacts with the Italian citizen
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire who disclosed this in a statement noted that the patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms and is being managed at the infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos.
Ehanire reminded Nigerians that most people who become infected may experience only mild illness and recover easily, while It can be more severe in others, particularly the elderly and person with other underlying chronic illnesses.
The Minister observed that Government through the Federal Ministry of Health has been strengthening measures to ensure an outbreak in Nigeria is controlled and contained quickly adding that the multi-sectovol Cownovirus Preparedness Group led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has immediately 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.
The coronavirus has struct many country with the United States of America raising alarm and taking precautionary measures.