The Government of Cross River State has reported an occurrence of COVID-19 in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Henry Ayuk, made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday in Calabar, the state capital.
According to him, the first reported case of the outbreak involved a Chinese national who worked with Lafarge and flew into the country on March 17 before falling ill.
The commissioner stated that the Chinese’s condition became worse at the medical facility under his office and had to be taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.
He explained that at the UCTH, samples were taken and all protocols followed; it was subsequently confirmed that he had symptoms of COVID-19.
“We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,” the commissioner said.
Ayuk said the Ministry of Health had been repositioned by the current administration to handle and manage any situation, including diseases or epidemic outbreaks.
According to him, there had been silent infections and clear cases from time to time.
“But we are determined that for every ailment, every disease or outbreak, if it is identified here in the state, there should be no alarm.
“The state will do well in terms of surveillance or containment of an outbreak. Whatever it is, we will do our best to contain it. So, there is no alarm.
“When this case was reported about three or four days ago, we decided to be careful to confirm and ensure that the processes involved in identifying and confirming every case of COVID-19 are duly followed.
“The protocols have been followed and confirmed that a 53-year-old Chinese who works in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state has COVID-19,” he said.
On her part, State Epidemiologist, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, announced that in response to the case, the state emergency response unit had been activated.
She noted that contact tracing and line listing of persons the Chinese may have come in contact with were ongoing.
While noting that the last confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cross River was in 2022, the epidemiologist said the Chinese may have contracted the virus in Nigeria.
“The incubation period for this virus is usually between two and 14 days, but the Chinese flew into Nigeria from China on March 17 and started developing symptoms on April 10.
“This is well beyond the 14-day incubation period. Like I said, we are doing the line listing of those he may have come in contact with, as part of our containment efforts.
“We have also activated the emergency response centre and deployed rapid response teams to Akamkpa, where the victim works.
“There is no way we can stop this disease, but we can stop the disease outbreak.
“It will be wrong not to contain or manage it by ensuring that people do not die,” she stated.
Similarly, the World Health Organisation Coordinator in Cross River, Dr Yewande Olatunde, stated that the disease was still around.
“We must explore all preventive measures to protect ourselves,” she stressed.
