US returnee tests negative for coronavirus

The Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Chike Princewill, said on Saturday a 43-year-old man suspected to have coronavirus tested negative for the disease on Friday.

The man, who recently returned from Houston, United States, had gone to a private hospital in Port Harcourt and asked that he should be tested for COVID-19, but was referred to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).

The UPTH later informed the State Emergency Response Team about the case and the man was taken away for a thorough medical examination to ascertain his health status.

Princewill told journalists the samples taken from the man had since been examined and he tested negative for the disease.

The Commissioner said: “Let me begin by reiterating that as at today (Saturday), Rivers State has not recorded any positive case of COVID-19. However, on the 10th of March, the Rivers State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre was notified of a suspected case of COVID-19.

“A 43-year-old male Nigerian, who had returned from the United States of America on the 22nd of February, 2020, through the Lagos International Airport, visited Port Harcourt for official duties.

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“He had earlier exhibited mild respiratory symptoms and was placed on treatment for malaria and respiratory tract infection. The Rapid Response Team was quick to react, investigate and self-isolate the patient, while nasal oropharyngeal and sputum samples were collected for analysis and dispatched to the reference laboratory in LUTH.

“As I promised to inform you, the result from the test is available and is negative. Therefore, the public should disregard every misinformation making the rounds on social media with names of individuals and facilities as untrue and totally misrepresented.”

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