Another case of Coronavirus: Lagos issues self-isolation notice to all passengers of BA Flight 75
The Lagos state government has issued a high alert notice to all passengers of the British Airways Flight 75 that arrived Lagos on Friday, March 13, to self-isolate for the next 14 days. The call is coming after one of the passengers on the flight tested positive for Coronavirus on Tuesday (today).
According to the Lagos Ministry of Health, a 30-year-old Nigerian woman who returned from the UK on March 13 observed self-isolation after developing symptoms. She eventually tested positive for Coronavirus during her 14-day isolation.
The National Center for Disease Control, NCDC confirmed the new case which is unrelated to the Italian national who brought the first case of the virus into the country.
“The case is a Nigerian who returned to Lagos from UK & developed symptoms during her 14-day self-isolation. She is clinically stable & is being treated at Infectious Disease Hospital, Lagos,” the NCDC tweeted.
With the possibility of infecting others who were on the flight with her, Prof. Akin Abayomi, Lagos state’s commissioner of health urged the passengers to observe self-isolation for 14 days. The measure is required to avoid a rapid spread of Coronavirus across the country.
“If you are a passenger on flight BA 75 that arrived in Lagos on 13th March 2020, stay at home and isolate yourself for 14 days. Call @LSMOH hotlines now; 08000corona, 08023169485, 08033565529, 08052817243, 08028971864, 08059758886, 08035387653,” he tweeted.
Most Nigerians on social media have been calling on the government to close the borders and ban people from the most affected countries from coming into the country. Many African countries like Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa are already taking such precautions. But Nigeria is yet to align.
Concerned about the government’s reluctance to close the borders, Oseiluobe Irenonse tweeted: “When would our government close our borders to countries plagued by this virus, do we have to wait until it gets out of hand???”
“Travels from Europe should be banned for now since Europe is the new epicenter of the virus,” Height Adebiyi tweeted.
Confirmed cases of Coronavirus now stand at 167,515 globally with 6,606 deaths, according to WHO Situation Report Monday, March 16. The two previous cases in Nigeria have fully recovered and discharged. The new patient from the UK is currently the only confirmed case of Coronavirus in Nigeria at the moment.
