Photo: Italian hit by Coronavirus unveiled in Lagos

Prof. Abayomi speaking with the Italian

A faint picture of the Italian man who brought Coronavirus to Nigeria has been unveiled at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital where he is being isolated and treated.

Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi who displayed a picture he took with the index case on his twitter handle, said he spoke with the man and assured him that he would be taken care of.

In the photo, the Italian man could be seen faintly discussing with Abayomi from where he is isolated. The commissioner was not wearing a face mask or anything.

According to Abayomi, “I also visited the #COVID19 patient a male Italian national who is isolated at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, where he is been managed by our well trained staff. I spoke to him and assured him of
@followlasg resolve to ensure he gets adequate care #ForAGreaterLagos

“While at the Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, I took time to inspect the ongoing renovation of the isolation wards. The renovation should be completed in a couple of days. I am satisfied with the renovation and preparedness work in the hospital,” he said.

The first case of the deadly Coronavirus was confirmed in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Thursday.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Abayomi, in a statement said Lagos State has confirmed its first case of COVID-19 and reported it to the Federal Ministry of Health.

The case, which was confirmed on the 27th of February 2020, is the first case to be reported in Nigeria since the outbreak in China in January 2020.

According to Abayomi, the patient is an Italian citizen who entered Nigeria on the 25th of February from Milan, Italy for a brief business visit.

“He fell ill on the 26th February and was transferred to Lagos State Biosecurity Facilities for isolation and testing. COVID-19 infection was confirmed by the Virology Laboratory of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, part of the Laboratory Network of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The patient is clinically stable, with no serious symptoms, and is being managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Lagos,” he said.

He said the government of Lagos State under the Governor as the COVID-19 Incident Commander, through the Lagos State Ministry of Health, has been strengthening measures to ensure that any outbreak in Lagos was controlled and contained quickly in collaboration with the multi-sectoral Coronavirus Preparedness Group, led by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). We have immediately activated the State Emergency Operations Centre to respond to this case and implement firm control measures.

“I wish to assure all Lagosians and Nigerians that we have been strengthening our preparedness since the first confirmation of cases in China. We will use all the resources made available by the State and the Federal Government to respond to this case,” he said.