Nigerian lawmakers to probe fresh COVID-19 case involving Chinese national

The Senate on Thursday directed its Committee on Health to investigate the circumstances surrounding a fresh COVID-19 case reported in Cross River State, South-south Nigeria.

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The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, issued the directive during plenary and asked the committee to submit its findings promptly.

Mr Akpabio stressed the need for immediate intervention to prevent a possible spread of the virus to other parts of the country, noting that the situation requires vigilance and proactive measures.

On Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Health, Henry Ayuk, confirmed the case involved a Chinese national working with Lafarge.

Mr Ayuk said the patient arrived in Nigeria on 17 March but later fell ill. He added that the patient’s condition deteriorated while receiving care at a government facility and was subsequently transferred to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital for further treatment.

COVID-19 in Nigeria

Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19 on 27 February 2020 in Lagos, when an Italian national tested positive after arriving in the country. The index case marked the beginning of a public health crisis that quickly spread across several states.

In response, the federal government, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, introduced containment measures, including nationwide lockdowns in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun State. Schools, businesses and international borders were shut, while restrictions on movement and public gatherings were enforced to curb transmission.

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READ ALSO: COVID-19: NCDC confirms case in Cross River, says no widespread transmission

Health authorities, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health, ramped up testing, contact tracing and public awareness campaigns. Isolation centres were established across the country, and emergency regulations were introduced to strengthen the response.

As global vaccines became available, Nigeria launched a nationwide vaccination campaign in 2021, prioritising frontline health workers and vulnerable populations.

Over time, restrictions were gradually eased as infection rates declined, although authorities have continued to emphasise surveillance, vaccination and rapid response to new cases.