CORONAVIRUS: Some infected persons have gone into hiding —Nigeria’s Health Minister

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire said that some infected persons have gone into hiding for reasons better known to them.

He said this while addressing the newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

“We have to get those who have been infected now. If we don’t, it may be a serious burden in the system. I am sure some are hiding, they will not report for whatever reason. Nobody will be arrested or asked to pay anything.

He also mentioned that those who came in contact with the index case were 179 and they have all been found.

“In less than 48 hours, the Italian who came to Nigeria (index case) was identified. The contacts we found from him were 179. They were all traced and monitored. Out of the 179, one was positive and put in isolation with the Italian. Both were cured and discharged,” he said.

“If other cases had not come to Nigeria, that would have been the end of COVID-19 in Nigeria. But other cases came in that were not part of the first one. That is why we are saying that you do not compare what we have now with what we have in China or Ita.

Meanwhile, Mr Ehanire made a call to the federal government to be proactive in the fight against the viral disease.

Read also: Gov Ayade places Cross River on total lockdown over COVID-19, no going on or out of the state

“If we do not act fast, we could be heading in something dangerous like that (in China and Italy). They now transmit among themselves.

“We have to get those who have been infected now. If we don’t, it may be a serious burden in the system. I am sure some are hiding, they will not report for whatever reason. Nobody will be arrested or asked to pay anything.

“Those who are returning now are Nigerians. With the closure of our airports, we will reduce inflow of new cases and deal with the ones we already have.”

The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 across six states in Nigeria has risen to 40, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed early Tuesday.

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