The Cross River government says it has recorded a new case
of COVID-19 in the state.
According to NAN, Henry Ayuk, the state commissioner for
health, spoke at a press conference on Tuesday.
He said the index case involves a 53-year-old Chinese
national working with Lafarge in Akamkpa LGA, who arrived in Nigeria on March
17 and subsequently developed symptoms.
According to the commissioner, the patient’s condition
worsened at a state facility, prompting his transfer to the University of
Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where samples were taken and the infection
confirmed.
Ayuk said the state ministry of health has been strengthened
to manage disease outbreaks, adding that there is no cause for alarm.
“We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,”
NAN quoted the commissioner as saying
“When this case was reported about three or four days ago,
we ensured that all processes for confirming COVID-19 were duly followed.
“The protocols have been followed and it has been confirmed
that a 53-year-old Chinese working in Akamkpa LGA has COVID-19.”
Inyang Ekpenyong, the state epidemiologist, said the
emergency response unit has been activated, with contact tracing ongoing.
She added that rapid response teams have been deployed to
Akamkpa to contain the spread.
Ekpenyong said the last confirmed COVID-19 case in the state
was recorded in 2022, noting that investigations suggest the patient may have
contracted the virus within Nigeria.
“The incubation period is usually between two and 14 days.
The patient arrived on March 17 and developed symptoms on April 10, which is
beyond the incubation window,” she said.
“We have activated the emergency response centre and are
conducting contact tracing as part of containment efforts.”
Yewande Olatunde, the World Health Organisation (WHO)
coordinator in the state, said COVID-19 remains in circulation and urged
residents to observe preventive measures.
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