Coronavirus: Passenger on Flight BA 75, Sister in Self-quarantine in Abuja

Pat Stevens/

A Twitter user resident in Abuja has revealed that one of her colleagues had been in touch with a passenger on the British Airways BA 75 flight which brought the latest confirmed coronavirus case to Lagos.

In a series of tweets on her handle, @saratu, she disclosed that her colleague and the passenger, who are sisters, were together in Abuja on Sunday.

She said the colleague who had coming to work since yesterday was immediately sent home by management after reading the statement by the Lagos State Ministry of Health advising passengers on flight BA 75 to self-isolate.

She said officials of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control had already established contact with both sisters and had advised them on the steps to take.

According to her, the process of testing the passenger had commenced while her colleague had been advised to remain in self-isolation pending the outcome of the test result.

The federal government had this morning announced a third confirmed case of coronavirus in the country.

According to the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, the latest case was a 30-year-old lady who arrived Lagos from the UK on March 13.

The government consequently urged all other passengers on the same flight with her to engage in immediate self-isolation, while contact tracing continues.

Read her tweets below:

“Hi, @NCDCgov — my colleague was in touch with someone on the BA 75 flight (her sister). They were together this past Sunday in Abuja. She’s been with us in our office since Monday.

“Can someone from your office test her? She’s been sent home after reading @LMOH’s statement.

“FYI @NCDCgov — your hotline is (understandably) busy, hence my sending a tweet.

“I should add: @NCDCgov contact asked all the right questions. The number I got through on is also available on WhatsApp, so was able to share my colleague’s number and other info easily. I’ll tweet when they reach out to my colleague.

“Just to ask everyone to please calm down. Nothing’s been confirmed yet, so we really can’t say if there’s a case in Abuja.

“Update: my colleague’s been in touch with @NCDCgov already (that was quick!) and have engaged her sister who was on the BA 75 flight. They’ve started her on the testing process, asking her to register at a testing center tomorrow. Fingers crossed she comes out negative.

“As for the colleague: the NCDC rep is telling her to self-isolate until they know her sister’s status, and won’t test for her just yet.”

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