The Lagos State Government has confirmed four new cases of the novel coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 12.
Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi is briefing the press on the four new cases.
He also said the Italian, who is the index COVID-19 case in Nigeria, is now free of the virus.
Prof Akin said he has to undergo a test before he can be finally declared negative.
The four new cases of the coronavirus confirmed by the Lagos State government comes a day after the state confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed five new cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria to 8.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made this known in a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, where he said that: “Of the 5 new cases, 3 arrived from the United States, while 2 came in from the United Kingdom,” he said.
He continued by saying:
“We are still collating information on the travellers; 2 of the 3 from the US are Nigerians, a mother and child, making the 6 weeks old baby the youngest COVID-19 patient we have, and the 3rd is an American national, who crosses the land border and became the first COVID-19 case not arriving by air.
“The 2 cases from the UK are Nigerian,” the Minister said.
The Lagos State Government also confirmed that they have recorded a new case of Corvid-19, in the State.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi who made this known on Tuesday 17th March 2020, while giving an update on Corvid-19 in the State said the new case which is independent of the index case, now makes the number of confirmed Coronavirus case in Lagos and the Country three.
According to him, the new patient who has now been quarantined at the Isolation Centre in the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba is a 30-year-old Nigerian, female who returned from the United Kingdom on the 13 of this month. ( March 13,2020).
He said the patient observed self-Isolation, developed symptoms and tested positive within the stipulated time.
The Commissioner said out of the three new cases, one other person who came in from the United States of America and another traveller from India via Cairo is also under observation.
The Commissioner who announced a toll-free number, 0800Corona through which residents can report suspected cases advised them to observe Social distancing, maintain a high level of personal hygiene and avoid touching their faces.
He said contact tracing right from the flight the confirmed case flew into the country on, has commenced in Ernest, while all her family members have also been isolated at separate facilities at the Isolation Centre.
These Four new cases are mostly imported cases, as the Federal government have banned travellers from about 13 countries to slow down the spread of the virus.