Lagos and Ogun states have tracked down no fewer than 100 persons who had contact with the 44-year old Italian who contracted the coronavirus disease.
Lagos State commissioner of health, Prof Akin Abayomi revealed this in an interview on Channels Television at the Emergency Operation Centre of the Mainland Hospital, Yaba, where the patient was being quarantined.
He said the index case was clinically stable and had no signs of respiratory symptoms which could make his infection contagious.
The commissioner said the 100 persons who had contact with the patient were being jointly monitored by Lagos and Ogun states.
“By Saturday, his symptoms had subsided. He hasn’t developed any respiratory symptoms and we are quite happy about that because if he has respiratory symptoms like coughing and sneezing, which makes the disease more contagious.
Earlier, he said health authorities had identified the hotel room where the Italian patient lodged on Monday night, February 24 when he arrived in the country.
He said the room and the entire hotel would be decontaminated adding that “we will identify all the people who had contact with him in the hotel.
It would be recalled that the index case arrived at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos from Milan, Italy en route Istanbul on Turkish Airlines.
He slept over in a hotel around the airport from where he left for Ogun State, where he lodged in an accommodation provided by his host.
He fell ill on Wednesday, February 26 while still in Ogun State and was taken to Lagos on Thursday, February 27 where he tested positive for the deadly flu-like disease which has killed over 2,800 people and infected more than 83,000 worldwide with most of the fatalities recorded in China- epicentre of COVID-19.
