The Lagos State Government said on Thursday it had reached an agreement with the China Embassy in Nigeria to quarantine all Chinese returning to Lagos from their country to prevent the outbreak of coronavirus.
Prof. Akin Abayomi, The state commissioner of health said at a press conference that the Chinese government, through her embassy in Nigeria was working with Lagos State Government to prevent the entry of coronavirus into the state.
He said, “We are very happy with the cooperation we are receiving from the Chinese government. We’ve had a very serious and high-level discussion with the Chinese government through their embassy in Lagos. Our primary concern has been the return of their citizens to Lagos in a few days and we are happy to inform you that the Embassy of China is also concerned about this, and they have sent out information through notifications to their citizens and companies located in Lagos that their citizens should try and remain in China until there is clarity about how this infection is going.
“However, if some of them choose to return, and we cannot restrict people, if they do return to Lagos, the instruction from the Chinese Embassy is that they should be quarantined for a period of 10 to 14 days in their houses, hostels and accommodations.”
WHO DECLARES EMERGENCY
WHO DECLARES EMERGENCY
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation on Thursday declared as international emergency on coronavirus.
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom, said via the twitter handle of the WHO, “We don’t know what sort of damage this #2019CoV virus could do if it were to spread in a country with a weaker health system. We must act now to help countries prepare for that possibility.
WHO noted that a coronavirus is a family of viruses that include the common cold, severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome.
“For all these reasons, I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of #2019nCov.”
The Cable News Network had on Tuesday reported that a 34-year-old female student became the first person to be tested for the virus in Africa. The traveller, whose identity has been withheld, disembarked a flight from China, at Felix-Houphouet-Boigny International Airport, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on Saturday.
Also, the New York Times on its website, 170 people have died of coronavirus since its outbreak with more than 7,834 cases confirmed.
ISOLATE YOURSELVES, SENATE TELLS RETURNEES
ISOLATE YOURSELVES, SENATE TELLS RETURNEES
The Senate on Thursday asked Chinese citizens in Nigeria, who travelled to China to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, to isolate themselves on return to the country.
The Upper Chamber also extended the call for self-isolation to travellers from other countries affected by the outbreak of the deadly disease.
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