Cross River State government said it has identified and isolated 10 persons who interacted with the Chinese national who reimported COVID-19 into Nigeria.
Dr. Inyang Ekpenyong, the state epidemiologist, announced that the individuals were traced through contact tracing after interacting with the index case and have since been placed under movement restriction.
“We’ve restricted their movements to their homes, so that they do not spread the symptoms to other persons,” Ekpenyong said, noting that the contacts were under close monitoring by health officials.
She added that surveillance teams had visited the expatriate’s workplace in Akamkpa to track possible exposure and prevent further transmission.
The affected Chinese national is currently receiving treatment at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), where authorities said he was responding positively.
Ekpenyong reminded residents that COVID-19, despite first emerging about six years ago, has not been eradicated, urging continued adherence to preventive measures.
She advised the public to maintain regular hand sanitisation, use face masks where necessary, and follow public health guidelines issued by experts.
The commissioner for health in the state, Dr Henry Egbe Ayuk, broke the news of the return of COVID-19, on Monday, but assured that the state government had already activated all public health mechanisms to contain the outbreak.
The commissioner said the world was at risk of another health challenge, since COVID carriers may move from one country to another.
“COVID-19 is not peculiar to Nigeria. But we’re determined to contain it. There’s no cause for alarm,” he had said.
