Three Coronavirus suspects test negative in Lagos

Professor Akin Abayomi: Lagos State Commissioner for Health: says 3 suspects being tested for coronavirus

The three suspected Coronavirus patients quarantined in Lagos have tested negative to the deadly disease, Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi said on Friday evening.

Abayomi had on Thursday said three people had been quarantined at its isolation centre in Yaba area of Lagos on suspicion of Coronavirus.

One of the suspects quarantined was a Nigerian who travelled to France eight days ago and arrived the country four days ago. He developed headache and respiratory symptom which led to him being quarantined.

Two other travellers from England and China were also quarantined for coronavirus after they developed certain symptoms.

According to Abayomi, their samples were collected for tests to ascertain if they have been affected by Coronavirus.

However, the commissioner tweeted on Friday evening that the three suspects had tested negative to the deadly disease.

He said the three people had been discharged after they were certified free from Coronavirus.

“Breaking! #COVID19Lagos All the three #COVID19 suspected cases; travellers from France, England and China whose samples were collected yesterday for analysis have tested negative and they have been discharged,” he wrote on his twitter handle.

Breaking! #COVID19Lagos
All the three #COVID19 suspected cases; travellers from France, England and China whose samples were collected yesterday for analysis have tested negative and they have been dischsrged. #ForAGreaterLagos @jidesanwoolu @drobafemihamzat @NCDCgov @SegsDr pic.twitter.com/thVQcOAAS5

— Prof. Akin Abayomi (@ProfAkinAbayomi) March 6, 2020

However, Abayomi had said on Thursday that the index case, an Italian was seriously responding to treatment at the isolation centre, as his clinical situation was stable.

He stated that the Italian was in high spirit, but that he required psycho-social support as he was getting depressed for being in isolation alone, adding that the patient was in touch with his family and friends in Italy.

Abayomi, however, said the level of viral load in his body had gone down and that if that continued, in the next few days, he might be discharged if he tested negative to the disease.

He said the government would not just release him immediately he tested negative to the disease, but would still keep him and run a second test in few days to ascertain he was completely free of the disease before letting him go back to his country.

On the people who alighted from the Turkish Airline on arrival in Lagos, he said government had been able to trace 13 of the remaining 15 contacts, leaving only two that had not been reached, saying that if at the end of today, they could not be reached, he would release their names to the media declaring them wanted.