Ololade Adeyanju/
Nigeria has recorded its first case of Coronavirus after an Italian national tested positive to the virus, according to the Federal Ministry of Health.
The case was confirmed in the early hours of today by the Lagos State Health Commissioner, Prof. Akin Abayomi.
“The case is an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit. He fell ill on the 26th February and was transfered to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing,” the Lagos State Ministry of Health said in a statement.
“#COVID2019 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital @LUTHofficial, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control @NCDCgov.
“The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital (Mainland Hospital) in Yaba, Lagos,” the statement says.
The novel virus is fast spreading, having been reported in over 20 countries across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and lately in Africa.
This marks the third case of Coronavirus in Africa after Egypt and Algeria had earlier recorded cases of the virus, with the latter also being an Italian who arrived Algiers on February 17.
The victim who was not identified arrived Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammad International Airport in Lagos.