Lagos records four new cases of coronavirus as Italian tests negative

The Lagos State Government has announced that four new persons have tested positive to the deadly Coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 11.

The state commissioner for health, Prof Akin Abayomi made the announcement today (Thursday) at a press conference in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos adding that the government is following up over 1,300 contact cases.

The commissioner informed that 19 people were tested for the virus on Wednesday.

Out of the number, he said four tested positive to the virus and had been isolated for treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

According to him, the first of the four new cases who tested positive for the disease was a woman who had contact with UK returnee who was tested positive a few days ago.

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The second new case, he said, was a female who returned from France on 14th of March on a Turkish airline TK 1830 while the third case was a Nigerian male in his 50s who had not traveled anywhere, but was tested positive to the disease.

Abayomi stated that the fourth new case was a Nigerian male who arrived in the country on the 13th of March from Frankfurt to Lagos on Lufthansa airline, flight number LH568.

The commissioner, however, said more tests were still being carried out, saying that it was clear that “We have a combination of imported cases and local transmission. The Executive of Lagos State is meeting on the next stage on social distancing. The best way to slow the rate is to halt the movement of the virus from person to person,” he said.

While appealing to people on the two flights to self-isolate themselves and to reach the government, he also announced that the Italian national who brought the deadly Coronavirus to Nigeria has now tested negative to the disease.