Coronavirus: What Sanwo-Olu said about Italian who brought disease to Nigeria

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the Italian detected to have coronavirus in Lagos is in “stable condition.”

The unnamed Italian is the first to be detected with coronavirus in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Lagos government announced the detection early Friday. The suspect arrived Lagos, Nigeria on Tuesday.

Read the transcript of Mr Sanwo-Olu’s speech on the virus and the Italian below.

The COVID-19 patient is an Ogun State-based expatriate who flew into Lagos from Milan in Italy via Istanbul, Turkey last Monday evening.

He remains in stable condition at the bio-security facility in Yaba, Lagos Mainland, where he is being isolated.

The patient, although, tested positive to COVID-19 virus is yet to show any respiratory symptoms at this time. He complained of fever and body pain, which prompted his transfer from Ogun State to Lagos for advanced medical investigation.

People who had physical contact with the patient before the virus was diagnosed, are being traced, while others are currently being examined for possible symptoms.

There should be no cause for panic among Nigerians over the reported COVID-19 incident because measures has been set in motion by the State and Federal governments to contain the spread of the virus across the country.

READ ALSO: Coronavirus: Lagos begins identification process

Lagos has 2 bio-security facilities and is more than capable to contain the virus. Health workers and emergency officials are on the field to track all persons that had physical contacts and interaction with the patient.

Lagos state is in constant touch with the Federal Ministry of Health to harmonise response to the incident. The patient is stable and every health intervention required is currently being given to him.

The patient was transferred to Lagos after the incident was reported in Ogun State, because Lagos is the only state in the Southwest that has testing centres.

The patient started to show signs of illness on Wednesday afternoon, after which he was presented at the Ogun State-based firm’s hospital where investigation began.

Investigation began at the hospital and the medical personnel at the company’s hospital kept the patient in isolation overnight and contacted the bio-security facility in Lagos for assistance. The patient was brought to our high-containment facility in Yaba on Thursday morning.

Immediately the patient arrived, he was put in proper isolation and the appropriate tests were conducted on him. Within hours, the test showed signs of positivity.

The state remains prepared to contain any potential spread of the virus and aggressive public awareness campaign is going on to sensitise residents on hygiene and activities that can prevent the spread of virus.