Some Returnee Nigerians Not Observing Self-isolation – Minister

Some Returnee Nigerians Not Observing Self-isolation – Minister

People who recently returned from foreign travels to Nigeria have been urged to observe the compulsory self-isolation for 14 days as part of the government’s efforts to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, at the national press briefing on the pandemic, on Monday, in Abuja said this has become pertinent as most of the confirmed cases of the virus in the country are from recently returned travellers.

While confirming the number of cases reported in the country so far, Mr Ehanire said a higher percentage of the cases are imported.

He said Nigeria has so far recorded 36 confirmed cases of the virus. Twenty six patients are from high burden countries, six were infected through people who came in from abroad and four are from unconfirmed sources.

He said Nigeria recorded a death from the virus and another patient is in critical state and dependent on oxygen.

He said the patient who died from the virus had an underlying medical condition.

Mr Ehanire said with the latest development, the country is intensifying contact tracing to identify and test those who might have been in contact with infected people.

He said it was an irresponsible act that some of the people who flew into the country are not abiding by the advisory. He lamented that they are not only putting their immediate families in danger but everyone they come in contact with if they are infected.

He explained that they would not know they are infected until the symptoms show or they get tested.

“The fight to contain Covid-19 is a call for collective action. Self isolation is a social responsibility of every citizens and not that the government should enforce isolation

“We want to depend on the social responsibility of Nigerians. We have not gotten to that point of forced isolation but we have had to go after those who were known and observed that they were not observing the advisory.

“More restrictive measures may be implemented by the Federal Government in the coming days,” he said

In the meantime, the minister urged Nigerians to avoid large gatherings and close physical contact especially with people they do not know.

Preparedness

Mr Ehanire said while the country is hoping that it does not record many cases of the virus, it has prepared for the outbreak.

He said the country had started preparing since the cases in China began multiplying.

“We are focusing on containing the disease and preparing for it. We hope we don’t get too many cases.

He said Nigeria had been focusing on containing the disease and preventing the spread of the disease.

He said the government is trying for disease not to filter into the grassroots and that is why they are making contact tracing very important.

Capacity building

The minister added that the country is working on capacity-building on laboratories in order to have more places to carry out the testing of samples in the country.

He said currently, Nigeria has five laboratories, though the locations are skewed, three in the south west (Lagos and Osun) one in Abuja and the other in Edo state. He added that a new laboratory would soon be added to the existing ones to make it six.

“The important thing is not that you have testing centres everywhere; it is that you are able to test,” he said.

He added that they have pulled together all the respirators in the country, ( though he could not give a figure) and that they are also liaising with private hospitals to be able to get more if the need arises.

Mr Ehanire also said that the country would be recalling retired doctors and nurses to assist with treatment if the need arises.